A Moscow court sentenced French researcher Laurent Vinatier to three years in prison for violating Russia’s “foreign agents” law. Vinatier, working for a Swiss conflict mediation NGO, was arrested in June for gathering military information without registering as a foreign agent.
Despite admitting guilt and asking for leniency, Vinatier was handed a three-year prison term by Judge Natalya Cheprasova. The prosecutor cited threats to Russia’s security to justify the sentence but Vinatier’s lawyer called it harsh.
The “foreign agent” law targets Kremlin critics and was expanded in 2022 to cover individuals gathering information on defense sectors. French President Emmanuel Macron has called for Vinatier’s release, branding the charges as propaganda.
Russia did not accuse Vinatier of espionage, and he works with the Center for Humanitarian Dialogue. The Moscow Times faced challenges but continues to provide unbiased journalism with reader support.
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