INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
violating the country's laws on "foreign agents."Laurent Vinatier, who worked for a Swiss conflict mediation NGO before he was arrested in
Zamoskvoretsky court on Tuesday, a judge ruled to extend Vinatier's detention until Feb
The judge also set the next hearing in the case for Sept
16, AFP journalists reported from the courtroom, granting Vinatier's request for more time to prepare.In previous hearings, he admitted to
violating Russian law and apologized.Investigators say the 48-year-old French citizen collected military information that could be used
against Russia by foreign states
Under Russian law, anybody who gathers or shares material on Russia's military or security services must register with the authorities as
a "foreign agent."French authorities have urged Russia to release Vinatier, saying he has been "arbitrarily detained."Vinatier, who holds a
post-Soviet countries.According to sources interviewed by AFP, the Frenchman had been working for years on the conflict between Russia and
Ukraine, before Russia launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022.Humanitarian Dialogue said in June that it was doing "everything
possible to help" Vinatier, who "lives in Switzerland and travels regularly for his work."Married and a father of four children, he has been
in pre-trial detention since his arrest, with his repeated requests to be placed under house arrest rejected."I always wanted to adequately
"I love Russia, my wife is Russian, my life is linked with Russia."
