Emmanuel Macron calls for the “fastest release” of French researcher Laurent Vinatier, arrested Thursday in Moscow

Emmanuel Macron calls on Russia to immediately release French researcher Laurent Vinatier, a collaborator of a Swiss NGO accused of collecting intelligence on the Russian army, arrested in Moscow (Russia) on Thursday June 6, then placed in pre-trial detention. “The propaganda elements that have been given about him do not correspond to reality”reacted the French president on Friday, during a press conference with his Ukrainian counterpart, Volodymyr Zelensky. “We call for Russia to clarify all elements and to release them as quickly as possible”he insisted, adding that he “deserves every protection.”

The Zamoskvoretsky court in Moscow ordered Friday, at the request of investigators, the detention of Laurent Vinatier until at least August 5, with a view to a possible trial, AFP journalists noted on site. During the hearing, the only charge cited against him was not having registered as a “foreign agent”, an offense punishable by five years in prison. This legislation is used by Russian authorities to repress or monitor their critics.

Laurent Vinatier, a 48-year-old French researcher, is a specialist in post-Soviet areas. On Friday, the Swiss NGO Center for Humanitarian Dialogue (HD) published a press release, in which it confirmed that Laurent Vinatier is “employee of the center (…) advisor to the Eurasia team”. “Expert in regional affairs in Eurasia, he is a French national who lives in Switzerland and travels regularly for his work”, specifies the organization.

This affair comes at a time of increasing tensions between Russia and France, against the backdrop of the war in Ukraine. Moscow is suspected of a series of acts of destabilization and disinformation, and Paris is criticized for its support for Ukraine.