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Radio France Internationale
Radio France Internationale
World
RFI

French cyclist arrested in Russia to be detained until October

Sofiane Sehili in Paris in 2023. © Pierre Fesnien/RFI

A French ultra long-distance cyclist arrested for illegally crossing the Russian border will be held in pre-trial detention until at least next month. Sofiane Sehili was detained while trying to break an endurance record, crossing Europe and Asia.

Sehili, 44, was arrested after he crossed the Russian border with China while attempting to break Eurasia cycling record on an 18,000-kilometre route from Lisbon, Portugal, to Vladivostok, Russia.

He was detained at the start of September, but Russian state media reported only Wednesday on a court hearing that decided that Sehili would be held in pre-trial detention until at least 4 October.

The Ria Novosti news agency said the Ussuriysk district court, in Russia’s Primorye region, decided to impose “a preventive measure in the form of pre-trial detention”, without specifying what charges he faces.

Crossing cut short

Sehili left Lisbon on 1 July and crossed Europe and Asia, with the goal of arriving in Vladivostok in early September.

His partner, Fanny Bensussan, told local public television she lost contact with him on 2 September, and reported his disappearance to the authorities.

Sehili had planned to cross the border between China and Russia near the Chinese town of Sanchakou, according to a map of his provisional route posted online.

According to Bensussan, Sehili had attempted to cross at a checkpoint not authorised for foreigners and then moved to another crossing farther north, where his visa only allowed him to cross by train.

He was arrested when he showed up with his bicycle, determined to cross on it so as not to compromise his record.

“He was not denied access to the train, it's just that he wasn’t allowed to cross by bicycle. That distinction is really important. He wasn't refused entry – they simply told him: ‘Sir, you must take the train like everyone else',” said Bensussan.

Diplomacy 

A member of a government-linked monitoring organisation, Vladimir Naidin, told the AFP news agency that he had visited Sehili in prison, where he was in good health but was struggling to communicate with officials because of the language barrier.

"We are monitoring everything closely and are treating him the same way we would any Russian citizen," Naidin said.

Sehili’s family has hired a lawyer in Russia, and Bensussan said they are in touch with the French embassy, though communication is difficult due to the time difference and the tense relations between France and Russia.

“I fear that this could take on diplomatic proportions that are completely unrelated to the nature of the trip or the world record attempt,” Bensussan said.

A French researcher is currently being held by Russia, charged with espionage.

Arrests on charges of spying and collecting sensitive data have become increasingly frequent in Russia since the start of its war in Ukraine.

(with AFP)

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