A French political analyst, previously convicted under the “foreign agent” law, has now been charged with espionage.

A criminal case for espionage (Article 276 of the Criminal Code) has been opened against French political analyst Laurent Vinatier, who was convicted for collecting military data without registering as a “foreign agent” (Part 3 Article 330.1 of the Criminal Code). Mediazona reports this.

The outlet noted that yesterday, 20 August, a request was submitted to Moscow’s Lefortovo District Court to extend Vinatier’s pre-trial detention as part of the new case. The hearing is scheduled for 25 August.

Vinatier’s arrest became known on 6 June 2024. The next day, he was placed in a pre-trial detention centre.

In October 2024, Moscow’s Zamoskvoretsky District Court sentenced Vinatier to three years in a penal colony. According to the indictment, in April 2021 and August 2022, the political analyst met with three Russian citizens and collected information “on mobilisation, combat training of troops,” as well as the political situation, which could be used against Russia’s security. He asked one of them about “the deployment of Russian troops near the borders of Ukraine” and another about mobilisation.

Vinatier fully admitted guilt. The case was considered in summary proceedings at the political analyst’s request.

After the verdict, Vinatier was held at Detention Centre No. 7, “Kapotnya.” According to a Telegram channel called “VChK-OGPU,” at the start of August, he was already in Lefortovo Detention Centre, where people accused of state treason and espionage are also held.

19:11 The Moscow City Court has hidden the record card for the hearing on extending Vinatier’s detention from its website, Mediazona has noted.

The outlet suggests it was made publicly accessible by mistake. Information on espionage and treason cases is routinely hidden from the Moscow City Court’s website.

“The fact that a card on the extension of Vinatier’s detention, rather than on the arrest itself, briefly appeared on the Moscow City Court’s website suggests that his new case was initially meant to be concealed,” Mediazona writes.

• Before his arrest, Vinatier worked as a consultant with the Swiss non-profit Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue. As a political analyst, he specialises in Russia, Ukraine, Moldova, Tajikistan, Azerbaijan, and Uzbekistan, according to his LinkedIn profile.