In brief
Baku’s President Ilham Aliyev pardoned French citizen Martin Ryan – jailed on espionage charges – just hours after the European Union lifted sanctions on Russian oligarchs Alisher Usmanov and Mikhail Fridman. The decision ignited anger in Kyiv, with Ukraine’s foreign ministry condemning the move as a sign of Moscow’s growing impunity. While France pushed for the removal of Usmanov from the sanctions list, the UK and US remain on the side of continued restrictions. Two other French nationals remain in Azerbaijani custody amid a broader 20‑prisoner pardon list.
Baku’s President Ilham Aliyev has granted a pardon to French national Martin Ryan, who was jailed in December 2023 on espionage charges that both he and the French government denied.
Ryan – 42‑year‑old developer from Lyon – was sentenced to 10 years in March 2024 by a Baku court that alleged he had cooperated with French intelligence. The pardon, one of 20 releases announced by Aliyev, came just hours after the European Union removed Russian billionaires Alisher Usmanov and Mikhail Fridman from its sanctions list.
The EU decision has drawn sharp criticism from Kyiv. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Shevchenko called it a “victory for Moscow” and warned that it “sent the wrong signal at a time when Russia’s behaviour is becoming more aggressive.” Latvia, which had opposed the move, abstained and announced its own measures against the two men.
France had been a key advocate for lifting the sanctions on Usmanov, citing national‑security concerns. Following the pardon, President Emmanuel Macron is reportedly ready to discuss further cooperation with Azerbaijani President Aliyev on NATO‑style deterrence, signalling a possible thaw in Franco‑Azerbaijani relations.
While Ryan has been freed, another Frenchman, Anass Derraz, remains in Azerbaijani custody on accusations of accepting a Russian bribe. The case highlights ongoing tensions over espionage and sanctions enforcement between Austria, France, Russia and the EU.
