Putin Dismisses Two Police Generals After Scandal With Detention of Journalist Golunov

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Russian President Vladimir Putin has dismissed two police generals in connection with the case of Meduza investigative journalist Ivan Golunov's detention, a relevant decree was published on the Kremlin website.

"Relieve from their posts: Police Maj. Gen. Devyatkin Yury Vladimirovich - Head of the Department for Drug Trafficking Control of the Russian Interior Ministry's Main Directorate for Moscow, and Police Maj. Gen. Puchkov Andrey Pavlovich - Head of the Department of Internal Affairs for the Western Administrative District of the Russian Interior Ministry's Main Directorate for Moscow", the document says.

The decree comes after Russian Interior Minister Vladimir Kolokoltsev has made a request to President Vladimir Putin asking him to authorise the dismissal of two police generals in connection with the widely-publicised detention of the Meduza journalist. Before that, police officers involved in the case have been suspended from official duties.

On 11 June, the case against Golunov, who had been detained on 6 June on alleged suspicion of involvement in the illicit drug trade, was dropped due to the lack of evidence of his participation in the crime. The journalist was immediately released from house arrest.

Commenting on the situation, Russian Human Rights Commissioner Tatiana Moskalkova said that the case of Golunov has highlighted a number of important issues about existing detention procedures.

The story has drawn massive attention both from the authorities and journalistic community. Three leading Russian newspapers issued a joint statement voicing their concern that Golunov’s case might be linked to his investigative journalistic work.