Court in Moscow to begin French citizen Vinatier's trial on Sept 3

MOSCOW. Aug 26 (Interfax) - Moscow's Zamoskvoretsky District Court will begin the trial of French citizen Laurent Vinatier, charged with gathering information about Russia's military activity as a foreign agent, on September 3, the court told Interfax.

"The hearing is scheduled for noon on September 3, 2024," the court said.

Vinatier was detained in early June 2024 and charged with evading the duties of a foreign agent envisaged by Russian laws.

The Russian Investigative Committee said that Vinatier, "having the intent to disregard the Russian statutory obligation to provide an authorized body with documentation required for his inclusion in the register of foreign agents," was engaged for several years in deliberately gathering information on Russian military and military-technical activities.

"That information, once received by foreign sources, can be used against the security of the [Russian] state," the committee said.

Vinatier made a number of visits to Russia, including Moscow, for personal reasons, to meet with Russian citizens, including experts, scientists, political analysts, sociologists, economists and military experts, as well as officials, the public relations center of the Russian Federal Security Service said.

Vinatier pleaded guilty.

Vinatier, 48, is a consultant of the Center for Humanitarian Dialogue, a Swiss NGO, whose role, according to a presentation on its website, is "to prevent and resolve armed conflicts around the world through mediation and discreet diplomacy."