Russians Stand in Solidarity with Journalist

On June 7, 2019, Russian authorities arrested investigative journalist Ivan Golunov on multiple drug-related offenses, in what many believed to be an attempt to silence his anti-corruption work. In the days following, journalists, civil society activists, celebrities, and everyday citizens raised their voices in support of Golunov. Although non-approved protests are banned in Russia, an estimated 1,200 people held a march calling for his release that resulted in over 300 detentions. Additionally, for the first time in their history, three of Russia’s largest newspapers released identical front-page spreads to publicly stand in solidarity with Golunov. Due to this pressure, Russian authorities released Golunov and dropped the charges brought against him on June 11. The World Movement is heartened to see that even at great risk their personal safety, Russian citizens continue to speak out against injustice.