MOSCOW, January 14 (RAPSI) – Journalist Ivan Golunov has been recognized as a victim in a case over abuse of power against him by police officers, his attorney Sergey Badamshin has told RAPSI.

In late December, investigators opened the case over arrest of Golunov. There are five defendants in the case; all of them have been dismissed from police.

Golunov was arrested in Moscow on June 6. On June 8, the Nikulinsky District Court of Moscow placed him under house arrest for 2 months. According to the Interior Ministry’s official statement, police seized nearly 4 grams of methylmethedrone from Golunov.

The journalist pleaded not guilty, insisted that the drugs were planted on him during the arrest and claimed that his prosecution is related to his journalistic investigations.

According to his defense, an examination showed no drugs in his biomaterial.

On June 11, charges against Golunov were dropped because of a lack of evidence that he participated in the crime, and the journalist was released.

On June 13, Russian President Vladimir Putin dismissed two generals of police on the back of the arrest of Golunov.