Because They’re Protesting? Russians Claim Police Are Planting Drugs

Georgian human rights activists claim that instances of drugs being planted on protestors are increasing. At least six cases now being reviewed in court, concern Article 260 of the Criminal Code–possession of narcotics in particularly large amounts. Three of them involve Russian citizens participating in pro-European protests. In Russia, the practice of planting drugs is especially common. Article 228, which Russians refer to as “the people’s”, has recently become a method for combatting dissent.

Translated by Adrian Baden

“The result of my involvement in protests”

On February 24th the case of activist Anastasia Zinovkina from Saint Petersburg and her partner Artеm Gribul was heard in Tbilisi City Court. The pair were detained by criminal police on February 17th while leaving a store. According to investigators, Anastasiya and Artyom had the drug Alpha-PVP in their pockets. Later, packages containing the same substance were allegedly found in their rented apartment. 16 grams of drugs were “confiscated” from the pair.

The case was launched at the request of Detective Jemal Mirazanashvili of the Criminal Police who received classified information that Russian citizens had drugs and hoped to distribute them during a protest. Anastasia and Artem challenged the illegal search and seizure of the drugs with Part 6 of Georgian Criminal Code Article 260. They face prison time of 8-20 years or life imprisonment.

Anastasia and Artem plead innocent and believe they’re being tried due to their participation in pro-European protests.

“They said to me that what happened to me was a result of my inolvement in protests and that they’re punishing me for it,” stated Artem Gribul in court.

The defendants’ attorney, Shota Tutberidze, identifies numerous violations by operatives during the detainment and search: the personal search wasn’t filmed, the accused were made to remove their outerwear, and in the videotape of the apartment search, some officers were out of frame and several minutes weren’t recorded. 

Moreover, the attorney focuses on the fact that the search was conducted without a court order, under illogical circumstances. Investigators reasoned it was “classified information” received from a confidential source. Tutberidze called this “classified information” nothing more than a “snitch”, comparing the process to that of the troikas in 1937. 

During one of the hearings, Anastasia Zinovkina spoke about the sexual harassment and threats that she faced from police officers. Apparently, during the search, men inspected Anastasia, threatened her with rape, made obscene gestures, and promised to punish her with such.

Artem also mentioned in court MIA employees’ threats. On a February 24th meeting, the defendants’ lawyer Shota Tutberidze reported that Gribul was also abused by other inmates.

“Artem was transferred to another cell without his approval and was placed with people who had long been sentenced and convicted, and they physically abused him yesterday in front of security cameras. This became known to us today. I’m positive that the prison administration knew very well why and where they were transferring him.”

Artem is currently being held in a pre-trial detention center in the Gldani district and Zinovkina in a women’s facility in Rustavi.

Tbilisi City Court took a preventative measure when choosing to detain them. Though, according to the attorney, neither the prosecutor’s office nor the court effectively justified the need for imprisonment. At the February 24th hearing, the trial was moved to March 13th.

“Death to Kremlin occupiers”

Anastasia Zinovkina is a well-known activist from Saint Petersburg. Since 2012, she’s participated in anti-government protests in Russia against the Putin regime. She’s occasionally been detained for administrative offenses of police disobedience or petty hooliganism.

In March of 2013, Anastasia was among those unfurling a “F*ck your registration” banner in the Red Square. Then demonstrators opposed the introduction of a law on criminal liability for violating registration rules at a place of residence. 

Later that year on May 9th, the woman participated in a Moscow “death to Kremlin occupiers” protest. Activists blocked Tverskaya Street in Moscow and demanded Putin’s resignation. Anastasia was arrested for 15 days for “disobedience of an officer’s lawful request.”

The following year in December of 2014, the woman again took part in blocking Tverskaya Street. She was again given 15 days. In November 2019, Anastasia was detained for participating in a rally defending free internet. 

Zinovkina moved to Georgia in December of 2022. In the same year after the start of mobilization, her future partner Artem Gribul moved to Armenia. The following year after the move, Anastasiya made a visa trip to Armenia, but Georgian border guards denied her entry. The woman was forced to remain in Yerevan where she met Artyom. Every day the couple left a photo of the murdered Russian oppositionist Aleksei Navalny outside the Russian embassy in the Armenian capital.

In the summer of 2024, the young couple decided to move to Georgia. This time Anastasia was let into the country. In Tbilisi, the pair participated in pro-European protests, helping people wash their eyes from tear gas with saline solution and providing hot tea. 

“Everything that’s happening to me now, I’ve already seen”

Anastasia Zinovkina and Artem Gribul aren’t the only Russians who participated in pro-European protests in Tbilisi accused of possessing large amounts of drugs. 26-year-old activist Anton Chechin of Barnaul was detained on December 3rd by unidentified persons under similar charges. During the search they found four grams of Alpha-PVP on him.

According to attorney Giorgi Chkheidze, Chechin also attended a spring 2024 protest against a foreign agents law. He was then detained for the first time and fined 1,200 lari (about 430 dollars).

During a November 18th rally outside Tbilisi State University, several police  officers came up to Anton and took him away. It was an unofficial arrest and no documents were provided for the Russian. The police then inspected his phone, keeping it the whole day, but didn’t find anything. Next, the attorney noted, that the police threatened the young man:

“They said to him: ‘Stop, remain quiet, or something will happen to your life.’”

Anton, however, continued to go to protests. And in 15 days, on December 3rd, he was detained at his home. Men without forms or identification confronted Anton and put him in a car. Later, the activist was found with a bag of drugs.

“During the meeting with Anton I heard an interesting phrase: ‘Everything that’s happening to me now, I’ve already seen,’” the activist said.

In a letter from a Gldani isolation cell, Chechin wrote:

“After I participated in rallies against Russian laws, an administrative case was drawn up, and a few months later police planted drugs on me. This was all copied exactly from Russia and is unacceptable in democratic counties. I wish Georgia a legitimate president and clean elections in order to embark on a European path.” 

In Russia, Anton Chechin also took an active role in protests. In 2021, Chechen was arrested for participating in a rally supporting Aleksei Navalny and was fined 15,000 rubles. The European Court on Human Rights in June 2024 compensated the activist with 4,000 euros under the case Nikolsky and Others Against Russia. 

Other Cases 

Drug-related cases against Georgian citizens have also been recorded, especially among those who have actively taken part in protests: anesthesiologist Giorgi Akhobadze, journalist and broadcaster Nika Katsia, and athlete Tevdore Abramova.

Nika Katsia was detained on charges of illegally obtaining and possessing drugs in a particularly large amount. According to an attorney, the journalist was detained at home, put in a car, then taken to another place. The personal search took place on the street. In his words, the drugs were planted. Katsia claims that after MIA employees detained him, they spoke to him about his involvement in protests.

The doctor Giorgi Akhobadze was taken into custody on similar charges. He’s accused of illegally obtaining and possessing drugs.

Akhobadze was detained at 2 a.m. on December 7th on QueenTamar Avenue when he was returning from a protest. According to the young man, during the arrest, he felt something put in his pocket. Police video allegedly wasn’t recorded due to a lack of  “technology resources.”

The doctor also connects the arrest to his civil and political activity. Akhobadze said he was warned about such developments. 

Identical Details

On February 10th, Georgian human rights activists made a statement calling out authorities for fabricating drug-related criminal cases. In their words, Georgian Dream’s true goal isn’t fighting drug crime, but “discrediting protest activities, revenging political opponents and civil activists, intimidating society, and ultimately, maintaining their regime.”

Transparency International Georgia and Georgian European Orbit analyzed cases and determined that in three of them (Akhobadze, Katsia, Chechin) there were common elements concluding the drugs were planted. 

In a February 10th briefing, Transparency’s Eka Giguari identified the following coincidences:

• The basis for the investigation was so called “classified information” obtained by “confidential sources”
• The search took place without a court order, and the legality of the search was established after
• Testimonies were only given by authorities and witnesses associated with them
• Lack of neutral witnesses during searches or recordings; in some cases witnesses were prohibited from the trial
• The court order for search and seizure is extremely formal and ineffective; the court’s ruling on the legality of search and seizure is made without a oral hearing which ignores parties’ competitive and equal principles
• The preventive measure of a pre-trial detention was used without a proper basis depriving the accused of a fair defense

Manager of Transparency International’s human rights and justice program Sandro Baramidze, in turn, emphasized that the practice of “planting” drugs on activitists remains a serious problem in Georgia. 

The Russian Practice

The practice of planting drugs is widespread in Russia. Charges using Article 228 are often utilized against critics of the current power.

One of the loudest cases receiving media attention was the case of Meduza journalist Ivan Golunov. He was detained June 6th, 2019 when he was accused of attempting to sell drugs. Human rights activists then connected Golunov’s arrest with his professional activity. 

Throughout Russia there were massive protests with the slogan “I/We am/are Ivan Golunov.” Six days following the journalist’s arrest, he was released. Subsequently, criminal cases for abuse of power were opened against the police related to the arrest.