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| Russian investigative journalist Ivan Golunov walks free from a Moscow police station after drug charges against him are dropped (AFP Photo/Vasily MAXIMOV) |
Moscow (AFP) - A Russian investigative journalist walked free late Tuesday after authorities in Moscow dropped drug charges against him in a rare climbdown by law enforcement following a public outcry.
Ivan
Golunov, a reporter with independent media outlet Meduza, walked out of the
gates of a Moscow police building to cheers from waiting journalist and wept as
he thanked supporters.
"This
all happened so quickly and thank you for that, that you supported me. I think
it somehow influenced the course of events," Golunov said, with tears
running down his cheeks.
He said he
hoped his case would change police practices and "such situations will not
happen again to anyone in this country."
The
journalist vowed to continue his investigative reporting for Meduza, which is
based in EU-member Latvia to allow it to work more freely.
"I
will be doing investigations because I have to justify the trust of those who
supported me," he said.
The
36-year-old was detained last week on charges supporters said were trumped up
to punish him for his investigative work and placed under house arrest.
The case
sparked outrage in Russia and abroad over what critics slammed as the impunity
and corruption of law enforcement agencies.
In a
surprise announcement on Tuesday Interior Minister Vladimir Kolokoltsev said
Golunov was to be released from house arrest and charges against him lifted.
Kolokoltsev
also said he would ask President Vladimir Putin to sack the head of a Moscow police
department and another senior official in charge of drug control in the
capital.
The EU
welcomed the news, with a European Commission spokesperson calling it a
"positive outcome", but demanding a probe into reports police beat
Golunov in detention.
Journalists
and activists reacted with joy.
"This is victory... I'm crying," said Meduza editor-in-chief Ivan Kolpakov.
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The arrest
triggered a public outcry, and Russia's most respected newspapers on
Monday
publishing headlines reading "I am (we are) Ivan Golunov" (AFP
Photo/
Yuri KADOBNOV)
|
"This is victory... I'm crying," said Meduza editor-in-chief Ivan Kolpakov.
Opposition
leader Alexei Navalny called it "an inspiring and motivating example of
what simple solidarity... can achieve".
Golunov's
Meduza colleague Ilya Zhegulev told AFP: "An unbelievable event has
happened."
"Even
the most optimistic didn't believe this would happen, and happen so
quickly."
Arrest
sparked outrage
Golunov had
been charged with attempting to deal a "large amount" of drugs and
was placed under house arrest at the weekend, facing up to 20 years in prison
if convicted.
The
reporter said he was beaten in detention. His lawyers alleged drugs had been
planted on him to justify his arrest.
Moscow
police admitted photographs published on its website that they said showed drug
paraphernalia found at the crime scene were not taken at Golunov's flat.
Golunov's
lawyer Sergei Badamshin said Golunov's fingerprints were not found on any of
the items police said they seized during a search of his flat.
The
officers who arrested Golunov last week have been suspended pending an
investigation, Kolokoltsev said.
"I
believe that irrespective of any citizen's professional activities his rights
should always be protected," the minister added.
After
Golunov's arrest, hundreds protested outside a court and the Moscow police
headquarters.
Supporters
had organised a march to happen in Moscow for Wednesday to press for his freedom.
But Golunov as he walked free said he would prefer supporters spend time with
"loved ones and family."
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Journalists
and activists reacted with joy to Gulonov's release (AFP Photo/
Vasily MAXIMOV)
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'We are
Ivan Golunov'
The
international media watchdog Reporters Without Borders hailed what it called
the "historic mobilisation of the Russian civil society".
"Now
those who tried to set him up must be judged," the NGO wrote on Twitter.
"We
are happy that the authorities listened to society," the editorial team of
Meduza and several other prominent journalists said in a statement. "This is
just the beginning, a lot of work lies ahead."
As part of
an unprecedented campaign of solidarity, major newspapers Kommersant, Vedomosti
and RBK published the same front page on Monday with headline "I am/we are
Ivan Golunov" in giant letters.
Even some
staunchly pro-Kremlin television journalists such as RT chief editor Margarita
Simonyan expressed support for the independent reporter.
Golunov has
investigated everything from Russia's shady funeral industry to corruption at
Moscow city hall.
His release
came a month after days of protests forced authorities to backtrack over plans
to build a controversial new cathedral in the Urals city of Yekaterinburg.
During his
two decades in power, Putin has silenced most of his critics and sought to muzzle
the media.
The few
opposition and independent media that still operate in Russia are under huge
pressure, Kremlin critics say.
The Meduza
website is based in Latvia to circumvent censorship, but some of its
journalists like Golunov live in Russia.
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