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.

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