Russia: Frenchman Laurent Vinatier's pretrial detention extended until February 21

The provisional detention in Russia of Franç but Laurent Vinatier, accusedé for not having registered as a “foreign agent”, has been extended by six months, until February 21, a judge from a Moscow court announced on Tuesday, on the first day of a trial that immediately began ;was postponed.

“The court considers it impossible to begin the examination of the criminal case. The hearing is postponed to September 16 at 2 p.m.,” said Judge Natalia Tcheprassova, after announcing the extension of his detention, according to AFP journalists on the scene.

The adjournment had been requested because Laurent Vinatier was reportedly informed too late of the hearing date.

The 48-year-old Frenchman appeared smiling, wearing a blue shirt and dark jeans and talking to his lawyers.

“I'm thinking of my wife and children,” he told them, in Russian, during a suspension of the hearing.

The Authorities have accused him 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.

Previously, this accusation had raised fears of a more serious charge, such as “espionage”, a crime punishable by 20 years of imprisonment.

– “Military information” –

This case 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.

Frenchman Laurent Vinatier, accused of failing to register as a “foreign agent”, is escorted before a hearing at the Zamoskvoretsky District Court in Moscow on September 3, 2024 © AFP – Alexander NEMENOV

Laurent Vinatier had admitted not registering under the “foreign agent” label, used in Russia against critical voices and which imposes onerous administrative obligations, under penalty of criminal sanctions.

In early June, just after his arrest, he explained during a hearing on his pretrial detention that he was unaware that Russian law required him to take this step.

The Russian security services (FSB) stated in a statement in early July that the accused had established “numerous contacts” with Russian political scientists, economists and military experts, as well as with officials.

“During exchanges with these people, (he) notably collected military and military-technical information that can be used by foreign intelligence services against the security of Russia,” the FSB declared.

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

– Discreet diplomatic efforts –

According to sources interviewed by AFP, the Frenchman had been working on the conflict between Russia and Ukraine for years, even before the Russian offensive in February 2022, as part of discreet diplomatic efforts in parallel with those of the States.

Frenchman Laurent Vinatier, accused of failing to register as a “foreign agent”, in the defendants' cage during a hearing at the Zamoskvoretsky District Court in Moscow, September 3, 2024 © AFP – Alexander NEMENOV

His employer, the Center for Humanitarian Dialogue, said in June that it was doing “everything possible to help” Laurent Vinatier, who “lives in Switzerland and travels regularly for his work”.

Married with four children, he is in pre-trial detention and has repeatedly requested to be placed under house arrest, promising that he had no intention of fleeing Russia. But his requests were rejected by the Russian courts.

“I have always wanted, in my work, to present Russia's interests in international relations in an appropriate way,” he said during a hearing in early July.

“I love Russia, my wife is Russian, my life is linked to Russia,” he said.

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

On August 1, the West and Russia carried out the largest exchange of prisoners since the end of the Cold War, including American journalist Evan Gershkovich and former Marine Paul Whelan, released by Moscow.

Paris then called on Moscow to immediately release the other people still “arbitrarily detained in Russia”, in particular Laurent Vinatier.

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