MOSCOW – A Russian state prosecutor on Monday requested that French researcher Laurent Vinatier be sentenced to three years and three months in prison, Russian state media reported. Vinatier, who was arrested in June, faces charges of violating Russia’s “foreign agent” laws. He is accused of failing to register as a foreign agent while allegedly gathering military information for foreign intelligence services.
Vinatier, a scholar specializing in the former Soviet Union, has been in custody since his arrest by the FSB security service. His defense team argued for a lesser punishment, requesting a fine instead of imprisonment, saying the prosecutor’s demand was too severe. The charges carry a maximum sentence of five years, but Russian media suggested a lighter sentence due to Vinatier’s guilty plea.
France has condemned Vinatier’s detention, calling it arbitrary, and has urged for his release. French President Emmanuel Macron refuted claims that Vinatier was acting on behalf of the French state, dismissing the arrest as part of a disinformation campaign by Moscow. Vinatier is employed by the Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue, a Swiss-based conflict mediation organization, which defended his work as legitimate and focused on global conflict resolution.
The FSB accused Vinatier of using his professional contacts to collect military details for foreign intelligence, which Russia considers harmful to national security. Russian law requires individuals involved in political activity or military information gathering while receiving foreign aid to register as foreign agents.
Despite diplomatic efforts, Vinatier was not included in the August 1 East-West prisoner exchange. His case has further strained relations between France and Russia, particularly after the French investigation into Pavel Durov, the Russian founder of the Telegram messaging app. Moscow has viewed the probe against Durov as unjust, exacerbating tensions between the two nations.