Russian media outlets begin sending complaints about Golunov case to law enforcement en masse

Russian media outlets have begun submitting numerous complaints and requests regarding the case against Meduza correspondent Ivan Golunov to the Moscow branch of Russia’s Internal Affairs Ministry, the federal Internal Affairs Ministry, the Investigative Committee, and the Prosecutor General’s Office. The outlets involved include Mediazona, Novaya Gazeta, Ekho Moskvy, Dozhd, The Bell, RTVI, and Snob.

The journalists are demanding that government officials conduct an investigation of the police officers who arrested, searched, and questioned Golunov. They are also asking officials to look into reports that Golunov was beaten, the reasons he was denied an attorney and medical aid for hours on end, and the reasons police did not immediately take biological samples from Golunov that could have confirmed his innocence despite his demands that they do so.

The journalists are also demanding an investigation of the reasons a criminal case was opened against Golunov and police published photographs unrelated to Golunov himself as evidence of his guilt.

Ivan Golunov has been charged with attempting to distribute drugs in large quantities. He argues that police planted drugs in his backpack and his apartment. Investigators requested that Golunov be jailed for two months to await trial; a court responded Saturday by placing him under house arrest.