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French researcher arrested in Russia: who is Laurent Vinatier, accused of not having respected Russian regulations for foreign agents?
Laurent Vinatier, 47, was arrested Thursday June 6 in a restaurant in Moscow. The Frenchman is accused of not having registered as a foreign agent with the Russian administration. The court specifies that he would have collected military information.
(France 2)
Laurent Vinatier, 47, was arrested Thursday June 6 in a restaurant in Moscow. The Frenchman is accused of not having registered as a foreign agent with the Russian administration. The court specifies that he would have collected military information.
In Moscow (Russia), Laurent Vinatier arrives in court handcuffed. The judge must decide on his possible placement in detention after his custody. The 47-year-old Frenchman remains silent. The man was arrested Thursday, June 6, in a restaurant in the capital, during an arrest filmed by Russian justice. Officially, he is accused of not having registered as a foreign agent, an administrative constraint imposed on foreign-funded NGOs in Russia.
The Frenchman works for a very renowned Swiss international mediation organization. In 2022, he explained his mission between Russia and Ukraine:“Our job is to invite representatives of both parties, invite them to the same table, and discuss how we can make peace.”, he summarized. During the hearing, filmed by interposed screens, Laurent Vinatier admits that he did not respect the regulations. He was finally placed in detention until August 5; no charges of espionage were formally brought against him. But the court statement claims he was collecting military information. Allegations widely reported by the Russian press.
