Azerbaijan's President, Ilham Aliyev, has granted clemency to Martin Ryan, a French and British citizen convicted of espionage by Azerbaijani authorities.
Ryan was arrested in Baku in December 2023 and sentenced in March of this year to a decade in prison. Azerbaijani officials claimed he was recruited by French external intelligence to gather information on the country's military. Ryan and the French government have always denied these allegations.
Aliyev's decision came shortly after the European Union opted to lift sanctions on Russian businessmen Alisher Usmanov and Mikhail Fridman.
According to reports from various media sources, France allegedly pressured for the removal of measures against Usmanov, even blocking the renewal of the EU's sanctions package against Russia. This request was reportedly linked to negotiations for the release of two French citizens held in Azerbaijan.
However, based on available information, there is no official confirmation of a direct link between the lifting of sanctions and Ryan's pardon.
Link to Usmanov's InfluenceUsmanov's Influence
Alisher Usmanov, a Russian entrepreneur of Uzbek origin, has economic interests in several former Soviet countries, including Uzbekistan and Azerbaijan.
These connections have made his position significant in the diplomatic relations between Paris and Baku.
The decision to lift European sanctions against him coincided with similar measures for Mikhail Fridman, another prominent Russian businessman.
Link to Who is Martin Ryan?Who is Martin Ryan?
Ryan had been living in Azerbaijan for several years, leading a company involved in the import and distribution of food products.
The case against him had exacerbated diplomatic tensions between France and Azerbaijan, already strained by disagreements on various regional issues.
His release could now ease relations between the two countries, although the situation of Anass Derraz, another French citizen still detained in Azerbaijan, remains unresolved.
The case continues to have significant diplomatic implications, intertwining the issue of detained French nationals, relations between Baku and Paris, and the broader context of European sanctions related to Russia.
(Associated Medias) - Tutti i diritti sono riservati