UK – BBC, Sept. 23, 2026
French national Martin Ryan has been pardoned and his release from prison ordered by Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev after he was jailed on charges of spying.
His release came hours after the EU agreed to lift sanctions on two Russian billionaires, prompting anger from Ukraine. Diplomats had indicated that France had pushed for an end to restrictions on one of the businessmen, Alisher Usmanov.
Ryan, who denied espionage, is one of 20 people pardoned by Aliyev.
However, a second Frenchman, Anass Derraz, remains in jail in Azerbaijan accused of accepting a Russian bribe.
It was not clear what had led to pressure for sanctions on Russian-Uzbek billionaire Usmanov to be lifted – the EU also agreed to take Russian-Israeli oligarch Mikhail Fridman off its sanctions list.
Slovakia is understood to have pressed for Usmanov’s name to removed initially, and France then backed the move, highlighting national security concerns.
