French researcher's trial in Moscow court set to start
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00:00On the 6th of June, Russian prosecutors released these pictures of the arrest of Lecondre Nathieu
00:06as he was seated on a cafe terrace in Moscow.
00:09The 48-year-old Frenchman is a specialist in the post-Soviet world
00:13and a member of a Swiss NGO for whom he is said to have taken part in informal mediation
00:18in the war between Russia and Ukraine.
00:21In early July, a communique by the FSB, Russia's secret service,
00:25accused him of having established contacts in Russia
00:28and of gathering military and technological information
00:31that might be used against the security of the Russian Federation by foreign intelligence services.
00:36The charge initially seemed to be one of espionage,
00:39but ultimately Vinatier would be charged only with not having registered as a foreign agent
00:44under a law enacted in 2012 and since amended and broadened.
00:48It's a regulation often wielded by Russian authorities.
00:52Laurent Vinatier pleads ignorance of the law in good faith
00:55but could face up to five years in prison if found guilty.