Statement by the Yabloko party, 7.06.2019

On the evening of Thursday, 6 June, Ivan Golunov, Meduza’s correspondent, was beaten and detained by police in Moscow. The police allegedly discovered prohibited substances on him when he went to meet with the source. On the same day, searches were conducted at Golunov’s home.

From media reports, after being detained, Ivan was not allowed to contact his relatives and a lawyer for 12 hours. After that, the police refused to allow the journalist and his lawyer to make wipe samples from  his hands and belonging for a drug test, conduct a medical examination for beating.

Ivan Golunov is a journalist with an impeccable reputation. He is the author of many well-known investigations, including information about multi-million overstating of prices for street lighting in Moscow, about the real estate belonging to Vice-Mayor of Moscow Peter Biryukov for 1.5 billion roubles, fraudulent seizure of more than 500 apartments from debtors by the so-called “black creditors”. We are certain that it was Ivan’s investigations that were the real reason for his arrest.

We consider this detention to be a provocation and an act of pressure on the media. We demand that Public Prosecutor General Yury Chaika obtain immediate release of Ivan Golunov and carry out an inspection on the lawfulness of the police actions.

Emilia Slabunova,

Yabloko Chairperson

Alexei Karnaukhov,

Director, Yabloko Anti-Corruption Policy Centre