Ivan Golunov admitted to Moscow hospital

First responders have taken Meduza special correspondent Ivan Golunov to be examined at a hospital, Moscow police announced. Multiple ambulances were called to enable doctors to examine Golunov after he said he felt poorly while in police custody.

Police press services did not specify to which hospital he was transported. Ekho Moskvy Editor-in-Chief Alexey Venediktov wrote that Golunov had been taken to Moscow’s City Hospital No. 71.

Golunov was examined by an ambulance team that determined he had a concussion, a hematoma, and potentially broken ribs. At first, police nonetheless refused to allow him to be hospitalized.

Golunov’s attorney, Dmitry Dzhulai, said that after a second ambulance team examined Golunov and came to the same conclusion despite police pressure, he was permitted to be transported to a hospital. Police announced Golunov’s hospitalization exactly 48 hours after he was physically arrested.

On June 8, Golunov was presented with charges of attempting to sell drugs on a large scale. The statute under which he was charged carries a sentence of 10 – 20 years in prison. The journalist argues that police officers planted drugs in his backpack and apartment.

After Golunov was arrested on June 6, he was not permitted to contact an attorney for 16 hours. Police beat the Meduza correspondent but did not permit him to call an ambulance. Police also refused for a full day to take biological samples from Golunov that could confirm his innocence.