French Spy Sentenced in Azerbaijan Amid Diplomatic Tensions

A court in Azerbaijan has sentenced Martin Ryan, a French national, to ten years in prison, charging him with espionage on behalf of France. Ryan, arrested in December 2023, was partly found guilty of gathering sensitive information on Azerbaijan's military collaborations with Turkey and Pakistan, according to Russia's RIA state news agency.

Prosecutors further alleged that Ryan facilitated recruitment efforts by French intelligence among French-speaking Azerbaijanis. Before his arrest, Ryan worked for a food importing company that also offered consulting services in Azerbaijan. Azad Mammadli, an Azerbaijani co-defendant, was sentenced to 12 years in prison, but denied the charges.

The case underscores ongoing diplomatic tension between Azerbaijan and France, exacerbated by France's support for Armenia, Azerbaijan's adversary in multiple conflicts over the past forty years. Last year, Azerbaijan released Theo Hugo Clerc, another French citizen, jailed for graffiti vandalism in Baku.