Frenchman Receives Shorter Sentence in Russia After Pleading Guilty to ‘Foreign Agent’ Violation, Reports Reuters

MOSCOW (Reuters) – Laurent Vinatier, a French researcher accused of violating Russia’s “foreign agent” laws, pleaded guilty at his trial on Monday, putting him in a position to potentially receive a reduced sentence, according to Russian state media.

The Moscow district court handling Vinatier’s case has agreed to consider it under a special regime, which offers the possibility of a lighter punishment. Reports indicate that this special process limits the sentence to no more than two-thirds of the maximum five-year term for the charges, suggesting Vinatier could face just over three years at most.

Vinatier, who has long focused on research concerning the former Soviet Union, was apprehended in June by the FSB security service. He is accused of not registering as a “foreign agent” while allegedly gathering military information useful to foreign intelligence.

France has contended that Vinatier, 48, is being arbitrarily held and has called for his immediate release. His trial occurs amidst souring relations between Moscow and Paris, exacerbated by the recent arrest of Pavel Durov, a Russian-born tech entrepreneur and founder of the Telegram messaging app, in France.

In the lead-up to the 2024 Olympic Games, multiple Russian nationals were detained in Paris, with accusations of Russia attempting to destabilize the games.

Independent news outlet Mediazona reported that the charges against Vinatier are related to meetings he had with three Russian individuals from April 2021 to August 2022. During these meetings, he allegedly collected data regarding military mobilization and troop training, among other matters impacting Russian national security.

According to the indictment, Vinatier inquired about the deployment of Russian troops at the Ukrainian border. However, Reuters has not been able to access a copy of the indictment.

The Investigative Committee of Russia, which addresses serious crimes, stated that Vinatier is suspected of “purposefully collecting information in military and military-technical activities” that could pose a risk to state security.

Russian law mandates that individuals involved in political activities or gathering military information while receiving foreign funding or assistance must register with the justice ministry as foreign agents. Over the past decade, the Russian government has broadly applied the “foreign agent” designation to suppress dissent and discredit critics of the regime.

Vinatier specializes in Russian studies, the Caucasus, and Central Asia, having spent the last decade with an organization focused on conflict mediation based in Switzerland. His academic peers characterize him as a respected scholar engaged in legitimate research.