Azerbaijan Pardons French National Amid EU Sanctions Shift

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has pardoned French national Martin Ryan, who was imprisoned on espionage charges, ordering his release. The decision came hours after the European Union agreed to lift sanctions on two Russian billionaires, a move that drew criticism from Ukraine.

Ryan, who maintained his innocence and denied the espionage allegations, was one of 20 individuals granted a pardon by Aliyev. He had been detained in December 2023 and was sentenced to 10 years in prison in March for espionage. French authorities had denied the charges against him. Prosecutors had alleged that Ryan collaborated with French security services in Baku, gathering information on Azerbaijan's relationships with Turkey, Iran, and Pakistan, as well as on companies linked to Russia and China.

Another Frenchman, Anass Derraz, remains incarcerated in Azerbaijan, facing accusations of accepting a bribe from Russia. It remains unclear what prompted the EU's decision to remove sanctions on Russian-Uzbek billionaire Alisher Usmanov and Russian-Israeli oligarch Mikhail Fridman. Slovakia reportedly advocated for Usmanov's removal, with France later supporting the decision, citing national security concerns.

Usmanov and Fridman had been subject to EU sanctions since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. The EU had cited Usmanov's "particularly close ties" to Russian President Vladimir Putin and his alleged support for Russian decision-makers involved in the annexation of Crimea and the destabilization of Ukraine. Usmanov has denied these characterizations and also faces sanctions from the UK and US governments.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha condemned the EU's decision, stating that Moscow was "celebrating, because it got what it wanted: a sense of impunity, the humiliation of the EU, and division among Europeans." Latvia, which initially opposed the move, ultimately abstained but announced its intention to impose its own measures on the two individuals.

Relations between France and Azerbaijan have been strained in recent years, partly due to France's close ties with Armenia. However, French President Emmanuel Macron and President Aliyev discussed strengthening bilateral ties in May, with Aliyev subsequently speaking of a "new era" in their relationship.

Ryan's release marks a development in French-Azerbaijani relations, though Derraz's continued detention highlights ongoing judicial proceedings. The broader context of the EU's sanction policy review and its implications for international relations continues to be a subject of discussion.