Russia's Patrushev Says Unaware Of Special Services' Alleged Involvement In Golunov's Case

Faizan Hashmi Published June 12, 2019 | 02:30 PM

Russian Security Council Secretary Nikolai Patrushev denied on Wednesday having any knowledge about the possible involvement of special services in the case of Russian investigative journalist Ivan Golunov, but stressed that if they did break the law, they must be punished

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 12th June, 2019) Russian Security Council Secretary Nikolai Patrushev denied on Wednesday having any knowledge about the possible involvement of special services in the case of Russian investigative journalist Ivan Golunov, but stressed that if they did break the law, they must be punished.

"I don't have information that some intelligence officers are guilty in this case. If someone breaks the law, then, naturally, they must be punished," Patrushev told reporters, when asked about the possible involvement of security officers in the case against the journalist.

Police detained Golunov, whose work is known to be focused on cases of corruption, on June 6 after finding drugs in his possession. More drugs were later found in the journalist's apartment in Moscow.

Golunov, who insisted that he had been framed and the drugs had been planted, was put under house arrest. On Tuesday, Russian Interior Minister Vladimir Kolokoltsev said that the case against Golunov had been dropped due to the lack of evidence against him.