Russia Hands French Citizen 3 Years In Prison For Breaking ‘Foreign Agent’ Law

A Moscow court on Monday sentenced a French citizen to three years in a penal colony on allegations of spying, in a case which has centered on his failure to register as a foreign agent. 48-year old Laurent Vinatier is being widely described in media is a “French researcher” who works for the Geneva-based Center for Humanitarian Dialogue, a nonprofit conflict-resolution organization.

He worked for the NGO as an adviser on Russia and Eurasia and was arrested in June after the Russian Ministry of Justice designated him a foreign agent, and as it was found he failed to register with the government.

French researcher Laurent Vinatier, via Reuters

Prosecutors allege that information he collected, including on Russia’s armed forces, could be used against the Russian military and state.

Russia alleges that he “purposefully collected information in the field of military and military-technical activities.” It comes after similar convictions of Westerners, including the saga of Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich who was freed in a prisoner swap along with ex-Marine Paul Whelan in August.

“The court ruled to find Vinatier guilty and sentence him to three years in a general regime penal colony,” judge Natalia Cheprasova ruled.

Vinatier said he was unaware that he was supposed to register as a foreign agent, and his defense team has blasted the controversial 2012 law under which he was arrested, saying in a statement: “We consider the sentence harsh and will definitely appeal.”

The law requires any individual or entity receiving foreign support to legally declare themselves a foreign agent. It is similar to laws in the US, or many other countries which have parallel statutes.

The NGO for which Vinatier worked says that its main activity is “to prevent and resolve armed conflicts around the world through mediation and discreet diplomacy”. The French national traveled frequently on behalf of the NGO.

Russian media has noted that he pled guilty to the charges. Amid the Ukraine war, NGO’s are regularly under suspicion that external intelligence services use them as cover to gain access to the country and sensitive information.

Prosecution asks for 3 years and 3 months in prison for French citizen Laurent Vinatier on charges of collecting military data without registering as a “foreign agent.” Adviser to @hdcentre, he was arrested in Moscow in June and later admitted guilt.

Video: Mediazona pic.twitter.com/MBeCkqyrgj

— Mediazona (@mediazona_en) October 14, 2024

Russia’s RT has described that “Russia’s foreign agent law, first adopted in 2012 and expanded in 2022, requires anyone who receives support from abroad or is under the influence of entities from outside the country to register and be labeled as such.”

“While such persons or entities are not banned from operating in Russia, they face a range of restrictions,” the report adds. “Those found in violation of the law can face fines of up to 5 million rubles ($55,000) and up to six years in prison.”