Azerbaijan Pardons Martin Ryan After EU Decision on Usmanov and Fridman
World
Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev on September 23 signed an order pardoning 20 convicted people, including French citizen Martin Ryan. The decision came a day after the European Union removed Russian businessmen Alisher Usmanov and Mikhail Fridman from its sanctions list.
The presidential order said the decision took into account the convicts’ personal circumstances, health, family situation, the nature of their crimes, time served and conduct in prison. Ryan, born in 1988, was convicted by the Baku Court of Grave Crimes on March 16, 2026.
The French businessman was detained in Azerbaijan in December 2023 and accused of spying for French intelligence services. Ryan and the French authorities rejected the allegations.
His release had previously been linked by media reports to EU discussions over sanctions against Usmanov. Reuters reported that France had pushed for Usmanov to be removed from the sanctions list, while European diplomats linked Paris’ position to pressure over French citizens detained in Azerbaijan. Baku rejected such a connection.
On September 22, the EU extended sanctions against about 3,000 Russian individuals and entities for three years while removing Usmanov and Fridman from the list. France supported removing Usmanov, while Luxembourg backed the move concerning Fridman. Latvia ultimately abstained.
Ryan’s pardon came against the backdrop of these decisions, although the Azerbaijani presidential order does not officially link his release to EU sanctions policy.
The French businessman was detained in Azerbaijan in December 2023 and accused of spying for French intelligence services. Ryan and the French authorities rejected the allegations.
His release had previously been linked by media reports to EU discussions over sanctions against Usmanov. Reuters reported that France had pushed for Usmanov to be removed from the sanctions list, while European diplomats linked Paris’ position to pressure over French citizens detained in Azerbaijan. Baku rejected such a connection.
On September 22, the EU extended sanctions against about 3,000 Russian individuals and entities for three years while removing Usmanov and Fridman from the list. France supported removing Usmanov, while Luxembourg backed the move concerning Fridman. Latvia ultimately abstained.
Ryan’s pardon came against the backdrop of these decisions, although the Azerbaijani presidential order does not officially link his release to EU sanctions policy.
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