Frenchman arrested in Russia works for HD Center in Geneva
Published: Friday, Jun 7th 2024, 09:30
العودة إلى البث المباشر
A Frenchman arrested in Moscow on Thursday on suspicion of espionage works for the Humanitarian Dialogue Center (HD Centre) in Geneva. The 40-year-old works for this private diplomatic organization as an advisor for Russia and the entire region.
On Thursday evening, according to initial information from French President Emmanuel Macron, the man was said to work for a "Swiss NGO" that had been set up "by former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan". This suggested the Kofi Annan Foundation, which is also based in Geneva.
In a brief statement to the media, the HD Centre confirmed that the detainee was one of its own employees. The organization is working to obtain more information about the circumstances and to secure the release of the Frenchman. The HD Center is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year.
In the past, the researcher had already worked with other Geneva-based institutions such as the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and the "Small Arms Survey" research project. He was arrested as a "foreign agent" under Russian law. He faces up to five years in prison.
The HD Centre accompanies numerous peace dialogues or talks in various countries. With regard to Ukraine, the institution had initiated the scenario of an agreement on Ukrainian grain exports and Russian fertilizers, which was finalized by the United Nations to unblock the transport of food, especially to Africa. An approach that prevented a global food crisis in the first year of the war, according to the United Nations.
©كيستون/إسدا
Arabic 
English 
German 
French 
Spanish