Azerbaijan Pardons French Espionage Convict After EU Sanctions Lifted

• •Martin Ryan was pardoned after serving part of a 10-year sentence for espionage in Azerbaijan.
• •His release coincided with the EU lifting sanctions on Russian oligarch Alisher Usmanov, suggesting a geopolitical trade.
• •The pardon included 20 individuals, but another French citizen remains imprisoned.

On September 23, 2026, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev pardoned Martin Ryan, a French citizen convicted of espionage, following the EU's removal of Russian oligarch Alisher Usmanov from its sanctions list. Ryan had been sentenced to ten years in prison in March 2026 for allegedly gathering sensitive military information for France's intelligence services. His release is seen as part of a geopolitical trade, with France advocating for the lifting of sanctions in exchange for Ryan's freedom. The pardon included 20 individuals in total, among them Azerbaijani and foreign nationals. France welcomed the decision, calling it a humanitarian gesture, while Azerbaijan denied any coercive linkage to the sanctions removal. Ryan's case has drawn attention due to its connection to strained Azerbaijan-France relations over support for Armenia. The release did not extend to another French national, Anass Derraz, who remains imprisoned.