French Researcher Appeals Three-Year Sentence in Russia

Laurent Vinatier challenges his conviction under Russia's 'foreign agent' law amid rising tensions between Moscow and Paris.

Laurent Vinatier, a French researcher, has appealed his three-year prison sentence in Russia for failing to register as a 'foreign agent.'
Vinatier was arrested in June for allegedly gathering military information for the Swiss NGO Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue.
He admitted guilt but claimed ignorance of the requirement to register as a 'foreign agent,' a law criticized for silencing Kremlin critics.
French President Emmanuel Macron has called for Vinatier's release, highlighting strained relations between France and Russia over the Ukraine conflict.
The European Court of Human Rights recently condemned Russia's 'foreign agent' law, citing it as a violation of fundamental freedoms.