Victor Labin Sentenced for Sanction Violations: A Deep-Dive

A Brussels court sentenced Victor Labin, a Belgian-Russian businessman, to five years’ imprisonment, four to be served, for illegally exporting dual-use goods to Russia. The judgment found him responsible for shipping more than 400 tonnes of items, including yttrium oxide, pressure-sensitive explosion detectors and a 9-tonne consignment of aluminium oxide routed via Turkey and Germany. The court classified the conduct as a “political crime.” A Brussels-based co-accused received a three-year suspended term, and Labin’s son, Ruslan, was sentenced in absentia to six years.

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The case falls under European Union measures that ban the export of dual-use and advanced materials to the Russian Federation. The court noted that the prohibited items fall under the EU’s dual-use export control regime. Authorities argue that such shipments threaten public safety and undermine the sanctions regime.

VRT

The federal prosecutor said the investigation confirmed The Insider’s reporting and state-security findings. The court emphasized the political nature of the offence and the associated public-safety risk. Prosecutors also noted that the shipments were “just a stopover” before reaching Russia.

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Labin’s lawyer, Stanislas Eskenazi, dismissed the GRU allegation as “nothing but nonsense” and maintained that his client dealt only in legally permissible materials. He called the five-year sentence, with one year suspended, “very harsh” given the limited number of proven shipments.

VRT

The Insider and the prosecutor alleged that Labin serves as a GRU officer, yet the court did not examine that claim. Moreover, the judgment deemed most exported items, including aluminium oxide, non-punishable, creating a discrepancy between the prosecution’s view and the court’s findings. The political-crime label also contrasts with the defence’s portrayal of the conduct as commercial trade.

VRT

• “political crime.” — Brussels court

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• “The investigation has confirmed the information published by The Insider and contained in state security reports,” — Federal prosecutor

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• “But that was always just a stopover,” — Federal deputy public prosecutor

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• “Given the international context, the defendants have committed a political offence,” — Brussels court

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Labin’s counsel said they will study the judgment and consider an appeal, arguing that the conviction rests on a limited number of shipments and does not involve weapons.

VRT