Russian investigative journalist and former Meduza reporter Ivan Golunov said he was awarded 1.5 million rubles ($16,500) in damages for fabricated drug charges against him, the MSK1.RU news outlet reported Tuesday. Golunov was arrested in June 2019 on fabricated drug charges and released days later following an unprecedented public outcry.

The court dropped all charges against him.The officers involved in the journalist’s arrest were fired and jailed for falsifying the drug case.Moscow's City Court ruled in December 2022 for Russia’s Interior Ministry to pay Golunov 1.5 million rubles in damages.Golunovtold the St.

Petersburg-based news outlet Fontanka that he plans to spend the money on a future journalism project.He added that a criminal investigation into those who may have ordered the drug case against him was ongoing.Five former Moscow police officers received prison sentences for planting drugs on Golunov, three of whom werereleased last month to perform forced labor.