Russian police admit they published photos with no connection to Ivan Golunov while accusing him of dealing drugs

The Russian Interior Ministry admitted that only one of a series of photos released by the agency in connection with the arrest of Meduza journalist Ivan Golunov was taken in his apartment.

The rest of the photos were taken “in the course of operational activities and investigative actions” in a crackdown on the activities of a group of drug dealers “in connection with which the detainee is being questioned,” the Interior Ministry reported.

The police agency is conducting an audit to investigate the publication of the photographs.

On June 7th, the Interior Ministry published 10 photos in connection with Golunov’s arrest that supposedly depicted narcotic substances and drug paraphernalia. People close to Golunov reported that only one of the photos was taken in his home, but the Interior Ministry insisted that the photos were taken during searches of Golunov’s clothing and his apartment.

The Russian president’s press secretary, Dmitry Peskov, answered a question from the media outlet Proekt about whether Golunov may have been framed by referring to the “photos from [Golunov’s] home” released by the Interior Ministry.