MOSCOW (AP) — French Citizen Accused of Unlawfully Collecting Military Information in Russia Denied Bail
A Russian court has ordered Laurent Vinatier, a French citizen, to remain in custody as he faces trial on charges of unlawfully collecting information on military issues. Vinatier was arrested in Moscow in June, amidst heightened tensions between Moscow and Paris following comments by French President Emmanuel Macron about the potential deployment of French troops in Ukraine.
Russian authorities have accused Vinatier of failing to register as a "foreign agent" while gathering information about Russia's "military and military-technical activities," which could potentially harm the country's security. According to Russian law, this offense is punishable by up to five years in prison.
On Wednesday, Moscow's Zamoskvoretsky District Court ruled that Vinatier must remain in custody until September 5, pending further investigation into his actions. The court rejected his request for release on bail or house arrest.
Vinatier serves as an adviser with the Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue, a Geneva-based nongovernmental organization. In June, the NGO stated that it was doing "everything possible to assist" him in this situation.
The charges against Vinatier are linked to a recently adopted law that mandates anyone collecting information on military issues to register with authorities as a foreign agent. Human rights activists have heavily criticized this law and other similar legislation, viewing them as part of a broader Kremlin strategy to suppress independent media and political activism, particularly in relation to Russia's actions in Ukraine.
Since Russia's military intervention in Ukraine in February 2022, arrests on espionage and sensitive data collection charges have become more commonplace in Russia. This trend underscores the tightening grip of national security measures under the current political climate.