The Moscow City Hall approved a rally in support of Golunov on Sakharov Avenue on June 23

The Moscow government has agreed on a joint rally of the Libertarian Party and the Trade Union of Journalists and Media Workers on Sakharov Avenue, the mayor's office told TASS.

The rally is scheduled to take place from five to seven in the evening on June 23. The purpose of the action is “to demonstrate the disagreement of Russian citizens with the persecution of Ivan Golunov and other journalists.” The estimated number of participants is 20 thousand people.

Libertarian Mikhail Svetov said that the organizers have not yet received a document confirming the approval of the rally. The day before, on June 13, Svetov said that officials refused to allow the rally and called activists for negotiations at the mayor's office. “We agreed to meet only in the presence of independent journalists on record. City Hall is thinking,” he wrote .

On June 6, police from the Internal Affairs Directorate for the ZAO detained Meduza journalist Ivan Golunov. A criminal case was opened against him for attempted drug trafficking. Golunov insisted that prohibited substances were planted on him. As a result, after numerous actions of solidarity on June 11, the case was closed, two generals from the department for the Western District were removed from work.

On June 12, a rally was held in the center of Moscow in support of Golunov and other journalists and activists who were subject to criminal prosecution. More than 500 people were detained during the unauthorized march.