FLASH NEWS
French researcher accused of espionage, Laurent Vinatier risks up to 20 years in prison in Russia
2025-08-20 23:56:27 / BOTA
French researcher Laurent Vinatier, who is serving a three-year prison sentence in Russia, is now also accused of espionage, according to court documents released today.
According to a document obtained by the French News Agency (AFP), Vinatier will appear in court again, this time on espionage charges, which carry a sentence of up to 20 years in prison. The hearing is scheduled for August 25.
Vinatier, who worked for a Swiss non-governmental organization that mediates conflicts, is one of several Western citizens arrested in Russia in recent years, during a period of high diplomatic and political tension due to the war in Ukraine.
Paris has demanded his release, accusing Moscow of using Western citizens as political hostages. The researcher was found guilty of collecting information on Russian weapons systems and violating the law on “foreign agents” because he was not registered as such.
Vinatier served as an advisor to the Geneva-based Center for Humanitarian Dialogue and is an expert on Russia and the former Soviet republics. He stated in court that, as part of his work, he “represented Russia’s interests in international relations.”
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