MOSCOW (Reuters) – Laurent Vinatier, a French researcher accused of breaking Russia’s “foreign agent” laws, pleaded guilty at a trial on Monday and is now in line to receive a lighter sentence, Russian state media said.
State news agency RIA said the Moscow district court where Vinatier is being tried agreed to consider his case under a special regime, which guarantees a lighter sentence.
RIA said the special procedure meant the punishment could not exceed two-thirds of the maximum five-year term for the offence, meaning Vinatier could end up with a sentence of just over three years at most.
Vinatier, 48, was arrested in June by the FSB security service and accused of failing to register as a “foreign agent” in Russia while collecting military information of value to foreign intelligence.
France says Vinatier has been “arbitrarily detained” and has called for his immediate release.
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