Russia sentences French researcher to three years in a penal colony

Laurent Vinatier, a 48-year-old French citizen, was arrested in Moscow in June and charged with breaking Russia's "foreign agent" laws. The charges stem from Vinatier's alleged gathering of information on Russia's military without being registered as a foreign agent. According to different sources, Vinatier admitted guilt and acknowledged violating Russian law, with some sources stating that he was unaware of the registration requirement. Vinatier's lawyers requested a fine as a sentence, but he was ultimately found guilty and sentenced. The French government described the court ruling as "extremely harsh".