The Center for Humanitarian Dialogue (HD) confirms that 47-year-old Laurent Vinatier has been detained in Moscow and says it is working to secure his release.
Russia arrested a French citizen who worked for a Geneva-based conflict mediation organization, accusing him of collecting information about the military and failing to register as a “foreign agent.”
Russia’s State Investigative Committee said the man was suspected for several years of having “purposefully collected information in the field of military and military-technical activities of the Russian Federation” that could be used against state security.
The committee, which investigates serious crimes, released a short video showing a man in jeans and a black t-shirt being approached by masked officers on the terrace of a restaurant in central Moscow before being taken to a police van.
Although it did not identify the man and blurred his face in the video, state news agency TASS identified him as Laurent Vinatier.
The non-profit Center for Humanitarian Dialogue (HD) said it was aware that Vinatier, 47, who worked for the group as an adviser on Russia and Eurasia, had been arrested and was trying to secure his release.
“We are working to obtain more details about the circumstances and secure Laurent’s release,” the group said in a statement.
Meanwhile, French President Emmanuel Macron denied that Vinatier worked for the French state and said that his arrest was part of a disinformation campaign carried out by Moscow.
Under Russian laws used to crack down on Kremlin critics, anyone who receives foreign support or is under “foreign influence” must register as a “foreign agent.” HD was founded by former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan and works to address and mediate armed conflicts around the world.
Arrests on charges of espionage and collection of sensitive data have become increasingly frequent in Russia since it began its large-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich was arrested last year on suspicion of trying to obtain military secrets and charged with espionage, which carries a sentence of up to 20 years, and is currently in custody awaiting trial. The United States has designated him “unjustly detained” and is seeking his release.
Russian-American journalist Alsu Kurmasheva was arrested last October and is awaiting trial on charges including failing to register as a “foreign agent.” She is also in custody awaiting trial.
According to Vinatier’s LinkedIn page, he has been a consultant for the Eurasia/Russia HD Program since March 2014.
He completed his PhD on the Chechen diaspora and lectured on international relations and political economy at several universities in France and Europe, as well as writing several books and book chapters on Russia, the Caucasus and Central Asia.
Vinatier’s arrest was announced as France hosted many Western leaders for events marking the 80th anniversary of D-Day on Thursday. Russia was not invited due to the invasion of Ukraine.
It also comes amid tensions in relations between Moscow and Paris, after Macron spoke about the conditions under which France could be prepared to send soldiers to Ukraine, and Kiev said France had agreed to send military instructors to the country.
Moscow warned that French soldiers would be legitimate Russian targets if they were sent to Ukraine.
This story originally appeared on Aljazeera.com read the full story
