Trial of French researcher opens in Moscow: AFP reports

The trial of a French researcher accused of violating Russia's "foreign agent" law began in Moscow on Tuesday amid simmering tensions with Paris over Ukraine.

Laurent Vinatier, who worked on conflict mediation for a Swiss NGO and was arrested in June, appeared in a glass cage for defendants at Moscow's Zamoskvoretsky court as the trial opened, an AFP correspondent at the scene said. He faces up to five years in prison.

AFP