Russia frees French political scholar in prisoner swap for basketball player

Key Highlights

• Russian authorities accused him of failing to register as a “foreign agent” while collecting information about Russia’s “military and military-technical activities” that could be used to the detriment of national security.
• A court convicted him and sentenced him to a three-year prison term.
• Last year, Vinatier was also charged with espionage, according to the FSB — a criminal offense punishable by between 10 and 20 years in prison in Russia.
• The scholar has been pardoned by Russian President Vladimir Putin, the security agency said.
• Putin has promised to look into Vinatier’s case after a French journalist asked him during his annual news conference on December 19 whether Vinatier’s family could hope for a presidential pardon or his release in a prisoner exchange.