The drug-dealing charges against Golunov, an investigative journalist with Meduza, were dropped on Tuesday due to lack of evidence. The police officers suspected of framing the journalist have been suspended pending an internal investigation.

The highly controversial case spurred a broad public outcry, with supporters saying Golunov had been targeted for his reporting about corruption. Leading media outlets and public figures demanded a swift probe into suspected police corruption.

Golunov's supporters decided to go ahead with their march on Wednesday, despite his release. Moscow officials had sanctioned the event for June 16 and urged residents not to take part in Wednesday’s rally.

The organizers of the unsanctioned event warned that they failed to get approval from the city and that it was up to the people themselves to decide whether they wanted to march that day.

Russian police said that about 200 people were detained during the rally, though local activists said the figure was higher. Among the detained was opposition activist and Kremlin critic Aleksey Navalny, as well as many journalists and other activists. Later in the day local media reported that some had been released from police stations.

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