Arrested Frenchman in custody in Moscow
Published: Friday, Jun 7th 2024, 19:00
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A French political expert must remain in custody until August 5 following his arrest in Moscow. According to the Tass news agency, this was decided by the competent judge on Friday. According to the Russian judiciary, the employee of a Swiss non-governmental organization is alleged to have collected information on military and defence technology in Russia. However, he was not accused of this possible espionage. He had not registered as a so-called foreign agent when collecting information for years. The man admitted this accusation in court, Tass reported. According to Russian criminal law, this is punishable by up to five years in prison or forced labor.
The Swiss organization for which the Frenchman works is reportedly involved in international conflict resolution and quiet diplomacy. The case can therefore be interpreted against the backdrop of two current conflicts. Switzerland is hosting a major international peace conference for Ukraine near Lucerne next week - a meeting to which Russia has not been invited and which it fiercely opposes. At the same time, relations between Moscow and Paris are tense because French President Emmanuel Macron is trying to organize European resistance to Russia's war of aggression.
By arresting foreigners, Russia is exerting pressure on other states and using these individuals as bargaining chips for possible exchange deals. According to the law on so-called foreign agents, organizations and individuals that are fully or partially financed from abroad must register. In the increasingly repressive atmosphere in Russia, the law is used to brand critics and restrict their contacts in the country.
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