EX-COP JAILED FOR PLANTING DRUGS ON JOURNALIST

Moscow: A Moscow court on Friday sentenced five former police officers to lengthy prison terms for planting drugs on an investigative journalist, in a case supporters called a rare admission of wrong-doing from Russian law enforcement.

The arrest of prominent investigative reporter Ivan Golunov in June 2019 on trumped-up drug charges that could have landed him in prison for up to 20 years sparked an outcry with activists and Kremlin critics demanding for his release.

Golunov, 38, was released days later and the charges were dropped after an unprecedented campaign in his support.

The same month President Vladimir Putin sacked two senior police officers over the wrongful arrest.

In his work, Golunov investigated everything from Russia's shady funeral industry to corruption in Moscow city hall.

His supporters and employer — the independent Russianlanguage news site Meduza — said the drugs had been planted on him as revenge for his work.

The five officers who arrested Golunov were also dismissed and taken into custody in January 2020.