Something virtually unprecedented happened this winter: five Russian policemen were arrested and charged with purchasing illegal drugs, planting them on an innocent man, and then arresting him on suspicion of drug trafficking, a charge that could have landed him in jail for up to a decade.
The case against the officers took everyone by surprise. By January, when the arrests were made, more than six months had passed since the explosive case against journalist Ivan Golunov, the innocent man targeted by the officers.
Through an incredible turn of events, Golunov was freed within days. But to see officers actually held accountable, facing a trial that could expose the way policemen systematically abuse their powers with impunity – this was something utterly unprecedented.
Drug related charges are some of the most common in Russia: a quarter of those serving time in Russian prisons were convicted of possession or distribution of illegal drugs. In 2018, 13.4 percent of all convictions in Russian courts were on such charges, and most of those convicted are under 35.
Only 0.3 percent of such cases end up without a conviction, and over 40 percent of cases result in a prison sentence, according to a study by Kommersant. Other studies have found that drug users are prosecuted more frequently than are drug sellers, and those arrested typically possess small amounts: three grams or less.
Golunov is an experienced investigative reporter who has worked for a variety of media, including the opposition-leaning Dozhd TV channel and Vedomosti. He authored an investigative series on Moscow city hall contracts for large-scale construction and renovation projects and has a reputation for meticulousness. He is respected by fellow journalists in the capital.
Yet he was far from a household name, nor was his face familiar to the wider Russian public. This soon changed. His arrest looked suspicious from the start: police published fake photographs of an apartment that had nothing to do with Golunov, and DNA samples from the bag of narcotics allegedly found in his backpack showed that he had never touched it.
Crowds of supporters stood in queues to protest what they called persecution based on Golunov’s journalism. Several newspapers published protest slogans on their front pages. And the case was closed after just five days – unprecedented for Russia. Two generals were sacked from the Interior Ministry.
Because the system malfunctioned in Golunov’s case, and foul play by the police was made public, the taboo on state media reporting about the prevalence of questionable drug prosecutions was lifted. A lack of police accountability and transparency makes it very easy for officers to plant drugs on any victim, swiftly “solve” cases, and earn career-promoting points. That innocent people get locked away while dealers go free and societal drug addiction continues to rise has been a long-standing crisis without repercussions. Until, that is, the Golunov case crossed a line.
The case also highlighted deeper issues with the police force, which since 2010 has been subjected to a highly-public reform that has been more superficial than substantive, involving redesigned uniforms and the militsia reverting to its pre-Soviet name of politsia.
In the summer of 2019, the Moscow police force was heavily criticized for using excessive force against political protesters, and now this winter Golunov’s case has reminded Russians that ordinary people are in danger of being accused of something they didn’t do. So naturally pollsters have been asking Russians whether they trust the politsia.
FOM* reported that 61 percent of those polled view the police positively, versus 43 percent in 2011, while 22 percent had a negative assessment. But 55 percent said they view the politsia as an undesirable profession for their children (just 25 said they would like their children or grandchildren grow up to be policemen).
In an informal poll by Novaya Gazeta (a non-state-owned paper), however, the results were quite different: 97.5 percent said they don’t trust the police and avoid all contact with them.
«Коррупция пока не снижается… Я думаю, что этот ущерб может измеряться триллионами рублей»
“For now, corruption is not declining… I feel the damages can be measured in the trillions of rubles.”
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