Posted on 06/08/2019 2:23:38 PM PDT by BenLurkin
Well-known Russian investigative journalist Ivan Golunov was hospitalized Saturday after two days in police custody. He was detained on Thursday and charged with attempting to sell drugs on Saturday, according to Meduza, the online news site where Golunov, 36, works.
According to police, authorities found mephedrone, a narcotic, on the journalist during a search Thursday. They say they also found additional drugs, including cocaine, along with scales, in Golunov's apartment.
Golunov says the drugs were planted, according to a statement from Meduza's CEO and editor-in-chief. The site also wrote that its correspondent was beaten in police custody and that he had to wait almost 14 hours to see his lawyer.
Russian authorities denied beating Golunov during his arrest. But on Saturday, officials announced that he was taken to a hospital after a medical examination in police custody. Independent Russian news agency Interfax reported that Golunov left the hospital Saturday and taken to a court in Moscow.
News of Golunov's arrest prompted an outcry in Moscow, especially among journalists. Dozens gathered outside Moscow's police headquarters on Friday.
"Russia has a long history of politically motivated charges against independent reporters. Investigative journalism is treated as a crime where it ought to be viewed as a public service," said a representative from Committee to Protect Journalists, Gulnoza Said. "We are convinced that Ivan Golunov is innocent. Moreover, we have reason to believe he's been targeted because of his work as a journalist."
News of Golunov's arrest prompted an outcry in Moscow, especially among journalists. Dozens gathered outside Moscow's police headquarters on Friday.
"Russia has a long history of politically motivated charges against independent reporters. Investigative journalism is treated as a crime where it ought to be viewed as a public service," said a representative from Committee to Protect Journalists, Gulnoza Said. "We are convinced that Ivan Golunov is innocent. Moreover, we have reason to believe he's been targeted because of his work as a journalist."
Selling drugs???
Sure...
Lock up all the purveyors of Fake News.
And the idiots here think they are being mistreated. They are all crying because orange man called them enemy of the people. That’s so much worse than being put in prison in Russia.
You don’t have a /s tag.
I know you can’t believe that this was on the up and up.
But then, there were folks here last year ACTUALLY SAYING “GOD PLEASE BLESS PUTIN”.
And those didn’t have /s tags either.
Gullibility in the masses.
It terrifies me as much as anything.
The difference between simple possession and possession with intent to sell in the United States is the quantity of the drug found.
Its a quite common charge enhancement in drug busts.
This is what his lawyer says - https://meduza.io/en/feature/2019/06/08/he-doesn-t-understand-what-s-going-on
“At first, an ambulance was called for him, the first brigade, but the investigator didn’t allow [doctors] to approach him. Then, I called a second brigade from my own phone — they gave a preliminary diagnosis of a concussion, two broken ribs, and multiple bruises and hematomas on the back of the head. They said Ivan required hospitalization and an X-ray.”
“Ivan feels very poorly. He’s sitting in an armchair; he doesn’t understand what’s going on; he reacts badly to light. Maybe — I’m not a doctor — but maybe that has to do with the concussion.”
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