Frenchman detained in Russia: Laurent Vinatier pleads guilty, his trial adjourned to October 14

He faces five years in prison. Frenchman Laurent Vinatier, detained in Russia and accused of failing to register as a “foreign agent”, formally pleaded guilty on Monday before a Moscow court, his trial having been adjourned until October 14.

Authorities accuse Laurent Vinatier of failing to register as a “foreign agent” even though he was collecting “information in the field of military activities” that could be “used against the security” of Russia. He faces up to five years in prison.

“I think of my wife and children”

Laurent Vinatier had already acknowledged not having registered under this label of “foreign agent”, used in Russia against critical voices and which imposes heavy administrative obligations, under penalty of criminal sanctions. At the beginning of June, just after his arrest, he explained during a hearing on his placement in pretrial detention that he was unaware that Russian law required him to take this step.

Previously, the charges against him had raised fears of a more serious charge, such as “espionage,” a crime punishable by 20 years in prison. In early September, the Frenchman’s pretrial detention was extended by six months on the first day of his trial, until February 21. “I am thinking of my wife and children,” he told his lawyers in Russian during a recess in the hearing.

This researcher specializing in the post-Soviet space, aged around forty, worked in Russia for the Center for Humanitarian Dialogue, a Swiss NGO which mediates in conflicts outside official diplomatic channels.

The affair comes at a time when relations between Moscow and Paris are very tense: Russia is accused of a series of acts of destabilization and disinformation on French territory, while France is criticized for its growing support for Ukraine.

In recent years, several Westerners, particularly Americans, have been arrested in Russia and faced serious charges, with Washington denouncing hostage-taking to obtain the release of Russians held abroad.