Russian court weighs espionage charges against French researcher Laurent Vinatier

A Russian court is likely to lay new espionage accusations against a French researcher who is already serving a three-year term, becoming the latest in a long line of Westerners facing decades in prison as a result of the Ukraine offensive.

Laurent Vinatier, a researcher with a Swiss conflict resolution NGO, was detained in June 2024 and jailed for violating Russia’s foreign agent statute, in a case condemned by Paris as unfounded.

A representative for Moscow’s Lefortovo court told AFP that Vinatier was scheduled to appear in court on Monday for an espionage hearing, which could result in a 20-year sentence.

He is one of several Westerners detained as Russia launches a full-fledged military onslaught against Ukraine.

France has demanded his release and described the situation as “arbitrary”.

Prosecutors have not outlined any details of the new accusations against Vinatier, or said if he has been formally charged.

Monday’s hearing will be closed to the media and public, Lefortovo court spokeswoman Anastasia Pyshkina told AFP.

“We have absolutely no new official information,” his mother, Brigitte Vinatier, told AFP via telephone.

‘Propaganda’

French President Emmanuel Macron has repeatedly called on Russia to free Vinatier, saying he is unfairly detained and that the “propaganda” against him “does not match reality”.

Paris is one of Ukraine’s strongest supporters, and Russia has singled out France as a particularly hostile state during the conflict.

Vinatier worked as an adviser with the Geneva-based Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue, and is a veteran researcher on Russia and other post-Soviet countries.

In the original case, prosecutors accused him of gathering military information without registering with the authorities – something Vinatier apologised for and said he was not aware he was required to do.

Speaking Russian during the trial, he said that in his work he always tried to “present Russia’s interests in international relations”.

Moscow has used the foreign agent law – which has connotations of Cold War-era espionage – widely to crack down on domestic critics of the Kremlin and its Ukraine offensive.

Charges have often been levelled as a precursor to more serious allegations – as seems to be the case with Vinatier.

His mother said Vinatier had been transferred from his penal colony outside Moscow to the capital’s Lefortovo prison for questioning and the hearing.

The facility is notorious for housing alleged spies and traitors and dealing with the country’s most high-profile cases.

“We were extremely concerned when we realised this prison is reserved for Russian political prisoners,” Brigitte Vinatier said.

“But I can’t say it is a shock because we do not expect anything good, anything positive.

“Knowing the Russian government, we were not surprised that they were pursuing him again,” she added.

In recent years, Russia has arrested a string of Western citizens – including US journalist Evan Gershkovich and American basketball player Brittney Griner. Both were then released in prisoner exchanges.

Washington and Paris have accused Moscow of hostage-taking – arresting their citizens on baseless charges to exchange them for Russians detained in the West.