A Russian Journalist’s Arrest Counters the Image of Putin the Puppet Master
Abroad, Putin is perceived as the master orchestrator of all of Russia’s actions. But his hold on the state’s security services is more limited.
MOSCOW—In the days following the arrest of Ivan Golunov, an investigative journalist detained on drug charges, dozens of reporters and public figures began lining up—quite literally—to take part in a peculiarly Russian form of protest: the “single picket.”
Demonstrations here require an official permit, and with authorities often loath to sanction critical rallies, protesters, in an effort to evade the requirement, will stand alone, holding up a banner or placard while a line of people will form nearby, ready to step in and offer relief. No two protesters can stand within
