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[INTERNATIONAL] · Azerbaijan, France, Russia, Ukraine, Luxembourg · 21 sources

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Azerbaijan pardons French national Martin Ryan following EU sanction changes

presidential pardon espionage conviction EU sanctions Russian oligarchs diplomatic tension

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has pardoned 20 individuals, including French national Martin Ryan, who was serving a 10-year prison sentence for espionage. Ryan, a businessman who had lived in Azerbaijan for several years, was arrested in December 2023. The pardon follows the European Union's decision to lift sanctions against Russian billionaires Alisher Usmanov and Mikhail Fridman.

Diplomats have suggested that the release of Ryan was part of a broader diplomatic exchange, with France reportedly pressuring the EU to delist Usmanov in return for the release of French citizens held in Azerbaijan. While Baku has rejected claims that it used the sanctions issue to exert pressure on France, the timing of the pardon—occurring shortly after the EU's decision—has drawn significant attention.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky criticized the removal of sanctions from the oligarchs as an 'autodestructive' move. Meanwhile, the pardon did not include Anass Derraz, a French executive convicted of corruption in Azerbaijan.

Entities

Alisher Usmanov · Azerbaijan · European Union · Ilham Aliyev · Martin Ryan · Mikhail Fridman

Claims

What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.

Sources

Azerbaijan pardons French national jailed for spying - Bahamas Spectator – Bahamas & Caribbean News, Travel & Business [bahamasspectator.com]
Fransa Azərbaycana Martin Ryanın əfv olunmasına görə təşəkkür edib [ordu.az]
Azerbaijan pardons French national jailed for spying - Trinidad Tribune – Latest Trinidad And Tobago News [trinidadtribune.com]
Predsednik Azerbajdžana po odpravi sankcij EU proti ruskima oligarhoma pomilostil Francoza [megafon.si]
Azerbaijan pardons French national jailed for spying - Dominican Republic Post – Caribbean News, Business, Travel & Culture [dominicanrepublicpost.com]
Accusé d’espionnage contre plusieurs pays, dont l’Algérie: le Français Martin Ryan gracié en Azerbaïdjan [www.algerie360.com]
Aliyev bebaskan warga Perancis dipenjara atas tuduhan pengintipan [berita.rtm.gov.my]
Un Français libéré par Bakou, au prix d’un cadeau offert à deux oligarques russes [lesinguliersete.fr]
France announces start of 'normalisation' process with Azerbaijan [www.euronews.com]
Die EU unterwirft sich Putins Erpresserstrategie [www.diepresse.com]
Sankcijos: Azerbaidžanas suteikė malonę Prancūzijos piliečiui Martinui Ryanui po Usmanovo išbraukimo iš ES sankcijų sąrašo [infa.lt]
Президентът на Азербайджан помилва французин осъден за шпионаж, след като ЕС отмени санкции срещу руски милиардер [clubz.bg]
L'Azerbaïdjan gracie un Français emprisonné après la levée de sanctions UE contre un oligarque [imazpress.com]
Azerbaijan pardons French national Martin Ryan convicted of espionage [news.az]
Azerbaïdjan : condamné à dix ans de prison pour "espionnage", le Français Martin Ryan gracié [www.tf1info.fr]
Azerbaïdjan. Le Français Martin Ryan, condamné à dix ans de prison pour « espionnage », a été gracié [www.bienpublic.com]
Así funcionan las razones de Estado: oligarca ruso exonerado por espía francés indultado [www.eldiario.es]
Azerbajdzsán kegyelemet adott a francia üzletembernek, akiért cserébe EU-s szankciók feloldását kérhették Macrontól [hvg.hu]
EU ukinuo sankcije dvojici ruskih oligarha. Dan kasnije Baku pomilovao Francuza [www.index.hr]
Azerbaijan pardons French national Martin Ryan jailed on spy charges [www.aljazeera.com]
Azerbaijan pardons jailed Frenchman after EU lifts sanctions on Russian billionaires [www.france24.com]