Azerbaijani Man Sentenced for Espionage at Greek Naval Base

• •Azerbaijani man sentenced to over seven years for spying on a Greek military base.
• •Evidence included numerous videos and photos of military installations.
• •Authorities are investigating potential links to espionage cases in Cyprus.

A Greek court sentenced a 27-year-old Azerbaijani man to seven years and one month in prison for espionage related to the Souda naval base on Crete. The man was arrested in June 2025 after being accused of monitoring the base and collecting sensitive military information, including 23 videos and nine photographs of military installations. He had been staying in a hotel with a view of the base since mid-June 2025. The man, who held a temporary residence permit from Poland, denied the charges, claiming he intended no wrongdoing. His lawyer argued that he merely photographed a publicly accessible view. The case has raised concerns about potential espionage links to recent arrests in Cyprus involving a British national. Greek authorities are also investigating previous spying incidents at the same base. The Souda base is crucial for military operations involving Greece, the U.S., and NATO.