Russia: Ex-officers convicted of planting drugs on reporter

MOSCOW (AP) — Five former Russian police officers have been convicted on charges of fabricating evidence in the 2019 drug arrest of a prominent investigative journalist. Ivan Golunov of the independent Meduza online news outlet had argued that drugs found in his backpack and his apartment were planted by police in retaliation for his investigations of Moscow police corruption. The charges against him were dropped days later after mass protests. On Friday, the Moscow City Court convicted the former officers on charges of abuse of authority, fabrication of evidence and drug possession and sentenced them to five to 12 years in prison. All but one had denied the charges.