German Moyzhes was arrested in St. Petersburg on the finish of Could and is being held in pre-trial detention in a Moscow jail.
Russia has charged a Russian-German lawyer and citizen with treason.
Citing safety forces, state information company TASS reported on Tuesday that German Moyzhes has been charged with serving to Russian residents receive EU residence permits.
The lawyer joins a rising listing of foreigners and twin nationals who’ve been caught up within the disaster in relations between Moscow and the West in the course of the Ukraine battle.
Moyzhes is being held in pre-trial detention in Moscow’s infamous Lefortovo jail after being transferred from a detention middle in St. Petersburg, TASS reported. It’s unclear when his trial will start.
The lawyer, who grew up in Germany however returned to Russia as an grownup, was beforehand reported to have been arrested in St Petersburg in late Could.
Germany’s Federal Overseas Workplace confirmed Moyzhes’ arrest in June and stated its embassy in Moscow was in touch along with his household.
An official stated on the time that Moscow had denied consular entry to Germany to its imprisoned residents for 2 years. Berlin stays “firmly dedicated to consular entry on this and different circumstances,” the official added.
‘Hostage diplomacy’
Tensions have escalated between Berlin and Moscow since Russia launched its navy offensive in opposition to Ukraine in February 2022.
Russia has accused Germany of signaling a return to the Chilly Battle by permitting america to station long-range missiles within the nation and likewise of immediately serving to Ukraine within the conflict.
Germany has accused Russia of undermining its efforts to unify Europe’s response to the invasion by finishing up sabotage, together with espionage and cyber warfare.
Moyzhes labored as a lawyer and managing associate at Avers Group Germany, a Cologne-based consultancy, in response to the corporate’s web site.
The web site says the corporate gives enterprise help and property administration companies and likewise helps rich residents of post-Soviet nations, together with Russia, receive German residence permits.
Treason expenses can carry life sentences in Russia, the place acquittals for critical crimes are uncommon.
Folks with citizenship of a number of Western nations have lately been detained in Russia.
On Friday, American citizen Evan Gershkovich, a journalist for The Wall Road Journal, was sentenced to 16 years in jail for espionage. On the identical day, Russian-American journalist Alsu Kurmasheva was sentenced to 6 and a half years in jail for spreading false details about the Russian navy.
Different folks with overseas citizenship have been arrested on comparable expenses, in addition to misdemeanors and drug expenses.
Russia has indicated it’s open to the concept of organising prisoner exchanges, saying it has maintained contacts with Western states.
The USA, in flip, has accused Russia of finishing up “hostage diplomacy.”