Russian journalist charged with drug trafficking

The charges against Ivan Goulov, according to Russian and international journalists, but even human rights organisations have been made in order for this journalist to be punished for his reporting.

Journalist Goulov has been charged with trying to push “to a large scale of” of narcotics, lawyer Pavel Chikov has said.

A court in Moscow is expected later in the day to decide whether to extend the detention of Goulov.

Goulov, a journalist working at the Latvia-based Meduza site, was arrested in Moscow on 6 June. Authorities said that he was found in his bag with meffedron, a drug type. Through a report, police in Moscow reported having raided the journalist's residence and found even more narcotics and have launched a criminal investigation.

Goulov's lawyer, Dmitry Dzhulai, said he believes police have placed the narcotics themselves in his client's apartment. He said Goulov was beaten by police and that authorities have refused to take fingerprints and find out if the journalist has been in contact with the drugs found in his backpack.

36-year-old journalist Goulov has investigated cases of high-level corruption, including officials in Moscow. The location he worked at, the Meduza site, has said that arresting the journalist relates to the work he has done.