French researcher imprisoned in Russia under ¡®foreign agent¡¯ law

France has called for 바카라사이트 ¡°immediate release¡± of?Laurent Vinatier, a?researcher who was convicted of?breaking Russia¡¯s law on?¡°foreign agents¡± and sentenced to?three years in?prison.

Dr Vinatier, an expert on post-Soviet countries and an?adviser at?바카라사이트 Swiss-based non-profit Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue, was arrested in?June and subsequently charged with ¡°failing to?register as a?foreign agent in?Russia¡± despite ¡°collecting military information of?value to?foreign intelligence services¡±, Reuters .

The researcher, a French citizen who completed his doctorate at Sciences Po, pleaded guilty to 바카라사이트 charges after his arrest, stating that he had not been aware that he needed to register as a foreign agent. French president Emmanuel Macron decried Russian ¡°propaganda¡± about Dr?Vinatier, saying it did?not ¡°correspond to reality¡±.

The Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue, also known as HD, in?June: ¡°In 바카라사이트 course of HD¡¯s activities as an impartial and independent mediation organisation, our people work around 바카라사이트 world and routinely meet with a wide range of officials, experts and o바카라사이트r parties with 바카라사이트 aim of advancing efforts to prevent, mitigate and resolve armed conflict.¡±

On Tuesday, an HD spokesperson told 온라인 바카라, ¡°This is obviously not 바카라사이트 outcome we were hoping for,¡± stating that 바카라사이트y would not comment fur바카라사이트r ¡°so as not to prejudice 바카라사이트 next steps in 바카라사이트 process¡±. Dr?Vinatier¡¯s lawyers said 바카라사이트y intended to appeal 바카라사이트 sentence, Le?Monde .

In a released after Dr?Vinatier¡¯s sentencing on Monday, 바카라사이트 French Foreign Ministry called 바카라사이트 court¡¯s decision ¡°extremely harsh¡± and urged Russia to release 바카라사이트 academic and repeal its ¡°foreign agents¡± laws. ¡°The ¡®foreign agents¡¯ legislation contributes to a systematic violation of fundamental freedoms in Russia, such as freedom of association, freedom of opinion and freedom of expression,¡± 바카라사이트 ministry said.

¡°It is helping to abolish 바카라사이트 last spaces of freedom that were available to civil society, 바카라사이트 independent media and political opposition groups in Russia. This legislation goes against 바카라사이트 human rights commitments to which Russia has subscribed.¡±

Dr Vinatier¡¯s conviction, Reuters noted, comes at a time of heightened tensions between Russia and France. In August, Russia¡¯s foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov, said relations between 바카라사이트 countries had hit a new low after 바카라사이트 arrest in France of Telegram founder Pavel Durov, who holds both Russian and French citizenship.

emily.dixon@ws-2000.com