Russian Trial Against French Researcher Opens In Moscow

Moscow, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 3rd Sep, 2024) The trial of a French researcher accused of breaching Russia's "foreign agent" law opened Tuesday amid tensions between Russia and the West over the conflict in Ukraine.

Laurent Vinatier, who worked for a Swiss conflict mediation NGO before he was arrested in Moscow in June, is one of several Western citizens who have been held in Russian prisons in recent years on charges that the West says are baseless.

Vinatier, wearing a blue shirt and dark trousers, smiled as he spoke with his lawyers ahead of the start of the trial in Moscow's Zamoskvoretsky district court.

The 48-year-old faces a five-year prison sentence if convicted.

France has urged Russia to release Vinatier, saying he has been "arbitrarily detained".

Russian authorities say Vinatier was collecting information on Russia's military without being registered as a "foreign agent" as required by law.

The law has more often been used to target Russians and domestic critics of the Kremlin, rather than foreign citizens.

Investigators say Vinatier collected military information that could be used against Russia by foreign states, raising fears he could face further charges later.

Russia has previously used "foreign agent" charges to arrest people before levelling more serious accusations at them.

Tensions between Moscow and Paris are running high after France charged Russian-born Telegram founder Pavel Durov last week over illegal content on the popular social media platform, with the Kremlin warning Paris not to turn Durov's case into "political persecution".