Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has issued an official pardon ordering the release of French citizen Martin Ryan, who had been serving a lengthy prison sentence in Baku on espionage charges. The clemency decree came just hours after the European Union concluded an agreement to lift sanctions against two high-profile Russian billionaires, an outcome that quickly provoked severe criticism from Ukrainian officials. Diplomats pointed out that France had actively backed removing restrictions on one of the businessmen, metals tycoon Alisher Usmanov, citing national security considerations.
The Espionage Trial and Conviction in Baku
Martin Ryan was taken into custody in Azerbaijan in December 2023. Following his arrest, state prosecutors accused him of actively collaborating with French intelligence and security service personnel stationed in Baku. The prosecution alleged that Ryan gathered sensitive intelligence concerning Azerbaijan's diplomatic and strategic relationships with Turkey, Iran, and Pakistan, while also monitoring business enterprises connected to Russia and China.
In March, the court sentenced Ryan to a 10-year prison term for espionage. Both Ryan and the French government consistently rejected the accusations. During the courtroom proceedings, Ryan firmly maintained his innocence, stating, "I did not spy. I am not a spy, and during the court case I tried to prove this." Another defendant tried alongside him, Azad Mamedli, received a 12-year prison sentence. Mamedli was excluded from the presidential pardon list.
Presidential Decree Grants Clemency to Twenty Inmates
Under the decree signed by President Aliyev on Wednesday, Ryan was named among a total of 20 prisoners granted executive clemency, a group that included Azerbaijani and Turkish citizens. Nevertheless, another French citizen, Anass Derraz, remains behind bars in Azerbaijan. Derraz faces separate allegations of accepting a Russian bribe and was not covered by the pardon decree.
European Union Lifts Curbs on Usmanov and Fridman
The timing of Ryan's pardon coincided directly with major developments in Brussels regarding European sanctions policy. The European Union agreed to remove Russian-Uzbek metals and mining magnate Alisher Usmanov along with Russian-Israeli businessman Mikhail Fridman from its restrictive measures list. Both figures had been subject to EU sanctions since Russia began its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
Previously, EU sanctions targeting more than 3,000 individuals and corporate entities required unanimous renewal every six months. Under the latest pact, sanctions against the broader list have been renewed for a three-year period, with Usmanov and Fridman standing as exceptions. Usmanov, who also faces ongoing sanctions imposed by both the United States and the United Kingdom, has consistently denied the characterisation that justified placing him under international sanctions.
Diplomatic discussions revealed that Slovakia initially lobbied to have Usmanov removed from the EU sanctions framework. France subsequently supported the initiative, framing its position around national security interests.
Diplomatic Backlash from Ukraine and Baltic Reservations
The European decision sparked an immediate and furious reaction in Kyiv. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha condemned the move, arguing that Moscow was celebrating an outcome that fostered a sense of impunity and highlighted fractures within the European bloc.
Latvia had initially mounted resistance against lifting the designations. However, Riga ultimately chose to abstain from the final vote, resolving to implement its own domestic restrictions against both businessmen. Latvian Foreign Minister Baiba Braže warned that the step was dangerous and delivered the wrong signal amid ongoing aggression. Subsequently, Latvian Prime Minister Andris Kulbergs indicated that French President Emmanuel Macron had agreed to initiate formal talks regarding Latvia's accession to France's nuclear deterrence initiative.
Shifting Dynamic in Paris-Baku Relations
Diplomatic ties between France and Azerbaijan have suffered prolonged strain in recent years, largely driven by Paris's strategic and political support for neighboring Armenia. Despite those historical frictions, dialogue between the two leaderships gained traction in May when President Macron held direct talks with President Aliyev regarding bilateral cooperation. Following that engagement, Aliyev publicly characterized the interaction as opening a new era in relations, laying the groundwork for the diplomatic breakthrough that secured Ryan's freedom.
