Moscow – A Russian court on Friday placed a Dutch national under arrest for “violence towards police personnel,” a charge that carries up to 10 years in prison.
Moscow has arrested several Westerners since it began its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
“A Moscow court has issued a preventative measure for a citizen of the Kingdom of the Netherlands accused of using violence against a police officer,” a statement by Moscow’s city courts read.
It said the Tagansky court in Moscow had placed Harry Johannes Van Wurden — giving only the Cyrillic spelling of his name — in detention for two months.
The court posted a photograph of a man wearing a navy blazer and jeans behind a metal cage inside the courtroom.
Relations between Russia and the Netherlands have been strained for years but have plummeted since the start of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
On Sep. 26, American Joseph Tater also appeared in court after allegedly assaulting a police officer in Moscow. In court, Tater rejected his U.S. citizenship, saying he was the victim of political persecution in the United States.