Biography
Ivan Golunov became famous for resonant investigations, revealing corruption schemes that Russian reality lives. But the journalist, perhaps, would remain widely known in narrow circles, if it were not for his scandalous arrest on June 6, 2019, which put the figure of Golunov to the center of discussion and gave rise to an information boom.Childhood and youth
News ribbons are filled with materials about Ivan Golunov. Most of them concern the details of the case and stories about the investigations of the journalist. But the information about his biography is scarce and fragmentary. It is known that the correspondent was born in Moscow on January 19, 1983 and his father name is Valentin, and the mother is Svetlana. Judging by the information in social networks, the middle formation of the Golunov received in Moscow International Film School.
From the young age, the guy chose journalism by calling, becoming cooperating with the metropolitan publications as a correspondent. I started working as an intern of the New Gazette, from where I went to the "poshit". For a while, the young man lived in Novosibirsk, continuing to cover sharp topics, ranging from the improvement of the city and ending with political issues.
Investigative activity of Golunov really turned on the site of the Internet edition of the Medusa, where he came in 2016, specializing in affiliated business. Prior to this, the journalist managed to be attended with the "snob", "Vedomosti", "Forbes" and RBC. Ivan worked on television: on the "Rain" was engaged in the editorship of the author's transfer "Parfenov".
Journalism
Ivan Golunov was engaged in topics that are difficult to call comfortable. The correspondent has been constantly "kept" the power and shadow business, disclosing the schemes for the development of budget funds allocated, for example, to the improvement of Moscow. He found out how much the gardening of the capital is in fact, New Year's illuminations and granite pavements, devoting individual investigations on this issue.The journalist tried to deal with the concept of the improvement of Moscow and learn whether billionate spending were substantiated in the budget. As a result of his research, the authorities abolished the tender, since it was proved that the previous performer was engaged in the same work for twice as much money.
The resonant case was the impairment of the funeral business - the sphere, the profitability of which is due to the fact that people die and will always die. The market, which in different years shared between officials, security forces and gangsters, and today functions in a strange, distant from transparency. How the multi-billion dollar turnover is formed and where in the end flows, tried to establish Ivan in his publication.
Another "slippery" theme that the Golunov raised was the case of "seolers" - black lenders engaged in legalized selection of housing in debtors. The journalist learned what scheme was it possible to remove more than 500 apartments in Moscow and the region without a court decision.
Personal life
About the personal life of the journalist is almost nothing known. Status in Facebook informs subscribers that Ivan is married, but the name of the wife remains a mystery, as is the fact of the presence in the family of children. Golunov leads a page in "Instagram", but does not publish family photos there, preferring to share with the public street sketches.
As a rule, these are ridiculous signs, funny ads and fitted scenes from life. The correspondent has a page and in Vkontakte, where you can find photos of the time of youth.
Ivan is interested in serious cinema, museums and travel. For many years, the four-legged friend lives in his house - Dalmatian Marusya.
Drug accusation
At the beginning of the summer of 2019, Ivan Golunov became a person number 1 in the media space: articles write about him, they shoot plots, in his support signifies petitions and convene rallies.On June 6, Ivan was detained on Moscow Street, heading for a working meeting. Employees of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, dressed in civil, were called by representatives of the criminal investigation and put Handcuffs on the journalist.
Arriving to the police station, the correspondent was subjected to forced inspection without the presence of a lawyer in which he was denied. In the backpack detainee, they found a package with drugs, but Ivan himself argues that several times from the moment of arrest losing a bag from the view. A man argues that substances have nothing to do with him and he never in life has not accepted prohibited drugs. Medical expertise confirmed that at the time of detention in the blood of the suspect did not find traces of alcohol and drugs.
In the apartment of Golunov, a search was conducted, after which the Moscow Interior Ministry website laid out housing pictures called "drug-based". However, Ivan's friends and friends noticed that 8 photos out of 9 are not related to the house of the journalist and are made elsewhere. They appear packages, scales and equipment for the manufacture of narcotic substances. Police declares that Cocaine correspondent has found in the apartment. Subsequently, official representatives confirmed that only one frame from the site posted on the site is made in the residence of the suspect.
Golunov continued to deny the charges and reported the violations applied towards him during and after the arrest. A journalist, contrary to the law, was not allowed to contact close, so the fact of arrest became known only after 13 hours. Representatives of the law did not apply an important expertise proving contacting drugs - did not take samples of nails and the skin of the fingers. But, as Ivan argues, he was beaten and the day was not given to eat and sleep.
The fact of damage was confirmed in the city clinical hospital number 71, where Golunov was brought to a survey with abrasions on his back and bruise on his face. Immediately from there, the detainee was sent to a court session, where the investigator was denied the conclusion of the suspect in custody. The preventive measure was named 2-month home arrest, during which the correspondent could leave the apartment.
The Galunov process caused a storm of indignation in the media and found the status of the scandal. Among people who supported the journalist were Boris Greeschikov, Konstantin Khabensky, Vladimir Pozner and others. In the cities of Russia, pickets were held in support of the correspondent, in which the speakers ask to give Freedom to Ivan Golunov.
The editorial board of "Kommersant", "Vedomosti" and RBC united into a share of solidarity, released on June 10, 2019 with the same slogan. Colleagues and representatives of the public are outraged by what is happening by the events, since they see them a cynical abuse of what else remains from freedom of speech in the country.
The journalist himself assumed that in his arrest and compromising persons interested in which he switched the road with his investigations. The case caused an international resonance, and the global journalistic community expressed concern about the persecution of independent investigators in Russia.
Soon the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia was charged with a journalist for the lack of evidence that would indicate his guilt. And six months later, the investigative committee of the Russian Federation opened a new criminal case. This time, numerous violations made by law enforcement bodies during the detention of Golunov were considered. All five employees of the Department of Internal Affairs were dismissed. Ivan himself initially had the status of a witness, after him recognized the victim.
At the beginning of 2020, the tributers were arrested, by that time hearing was already started.
Ivan Golunov now
The procurator demanded that all participants in the resonant business are real deprivation of freedom from 7 to 16 years. The court took place on May 28, 2021, as a result of which Igor Lyakhovets received the greatest period. Other devoid of the titles and ranks of the former police romance of Faofanov, Maxim Umembaev and Akbar Sergaliyev lost their freedom for 8 years. In connection with mitigating circumstances (recognition of guilt), Denis Konovalov received 5 years in prison.
In addition, all accused of articles on the exception of official powers, drug trafficking and the provisioning of evidence were due to the victim of moral damage. Here, the court also fully satisfied Ivan's claims and appointed for each convicted person to 1 million rubles.
The journalist himself was not present at the court. On the eve, he posted a photo in "Instagram", from which it became clear: Ivan starred in a film project as himself.