29% of criminal cases in 2020 were initiated on drug charges A project about why there are so many people convicted on drug-related charges in Russia Two years have passed since the closure of the Ivan Golunov case. The police officers involved in fabricating charges against the journalist recently received impressive prison sentences ranging from 5 to 12 years.

The “228” project talks about the range of social problems associated with Russian drug policy. We invite you to think together about what we think are important questions: Should Article 228 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation be changed to avoid imprisonment of people suffering from drug addiction? Will the revision of legislation help reduce state budget expenses for keeping drug addicts in prisons?

What to do if you are detained under Article 228? 1. Be silent and do not sign anything until you can contact a lawyer. 2. Call a lawyer or a loved one who can do this and report your arrest, or wait for a government lawyer. 3. Discuss with a lawyer your position on your involvement in the crime. 4. If the lawyer does not support the voiced position, find another lawyer. SHOULD YOUR RIGHTS BE OBSERVED? Yes, but practice shows that this often does not happen.