Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has pardoned French citizen Marten Ryan, who had been convicted on charges of spying for France. Azerbaijani media reported the move, citing official sources.
Marten Ryan and another French citizen had recently become part of the wider negotiations over European Union sanctions on individuals and entities linked to Russia. According to the report, Azerbaijan used the detained French nationals as leverage in its pressure on Paris.
Against that backdrop, the article says, the French government shifted its position and called for Russian billionaire Alisher Usmanov to be removed from the EU sanctions list. The European Union later decided to take both Usmanov and Mikhail Fridman off the list.
Ryan, described as a businessman, was arrested in December 2023 during a period of heightened tensions between France and Azerbaijan. He was later sentenced to 10 years in a high-security prison in Azerbaijan. Ryan denied all espionage allegations.
The pardon was announced one day after the EU decided to remove Usmanov and Fridman from its sanctions list. Even so, the Azerbaijani side continues to deny that it reached any secret arrangement with France over the matter.
According to a decree published on president.az, Aliyev pardoned a total of 20 people for reasons including their “personal characteristics, health condition, family circumstances” and other factors. The decree does not list names, but Azerbaijani media say Ryan was among those pardoned.
The developments have triggered strong reaction in Brussels diplomatic circles. France’s position was criticized by several countries, while Ukraine called it shameful. The decision was also criticized by Russian opposition groups in exile.
The report adds that Azerbaijan had previously joined calls on various occasions to lift sanctions imposed on Usmanov.
