Archive · 23 Sep 2026
France Welcomes Azerbaijan Pardon, Signaling Possible Path to Better Ties
Azerbaijan pardoned Martin Ryan, a French citizen who had been convicted of espionage.
France welcomed the decision and called it a humanitarian gesture.
French officials said the pardon came after careful discussions with Azerbaijan.
Ryan was expected to return to France.
Another French citizen is still being held in Azerbaijan after receiving a 12-year sentence for bribery.
The pardon happened as the European Union removed sanctions from two Russian oligarchs.
Diplomats said France may have connected the sanctions issue to the release of French citizens.
France and Azerbaijan have had tense relations, but both sides now see a possible chance to improve them.
France welcomed Azerbaijan’s pardon of French citizen Martin Ryan as a humanitarian gesture that could improve bilateral relations.
Ryan, who was convicted of espionage, was reportedly returning to Paris after France’s external intelligence chief traveled to Azerbaijan.
France said the pardon followed patient and rigorous dialogue with Azerbaijani authorities.
It remained unclear whether Azerbaijan would release a second French national, a businessman sentenced to 12 years for bribery.
The European Union’s lifting of sanctions on Alisher Usmanov and another Russian oligarch raised concerns about a potentially awkward precedent.
- Who
- France, Azerbaijan, French citizen Martin Ryan, and a second detained French national are central to the report.
- What
- Azerbaijan pardoned Ryan, while France welcomed the move as a possible step toward improved relations.
- When
- The pardon was reported on Wednesday, Sept. 23; the European Union lifted sanctions on two Russian oligarchs the previous Tuesday.
- Where
- The diplomatic discussions involved Azerbaijan, France, and a meeting between the countries’ foreign ministers in New York.
- Why
- France said the pardon followed dialogue with Azerbaijani authorities and could support the normalization of strained bilateral relations.
French Government’s View
Diplomatic Concerns
Meaning of the pardon
French Government’s View
France called Ryan’s pardon a humanitarian gesture and said it could open the way to better relations with Azerbaijan.
Diplomatic Concerns
Diplomatic sources linked the release of French nationals to France’s effort to remove Alisher Usmanov from European Union sanctions, raising concerns about precedent.
Sanctions decision
French Government’s View
French officials sought to minimize the effects of lifting sanctions on Usmanov and another oligarch.
Diplomatic Concerns
French officials acknowledged that the decision may have created an awkward precedent because it was associated with negotiations over detained French citizens.
Future relations
French Government’s View
France said its dialogue with Azerbaijan would continue and described the pardon as a step toward normalization.
Diplomatic Concerns
Existing tensions over Nagorno-Karabakh, French support for Armenia, and alleged Azerbaijan-linked campaigns remain obstacles to improved relations.
- Pardoned citizen
- Martin Ryan, a French national convicted by Azerbaijan for espionage.
- Second detainee
- A French businessman remained detained after receiving a 12-year sentence for bribery.
- French response
- France described the pardon as a humanitarian gesture and a step toward normalizing relations.
- Diplomatic contact
- French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot met his Azerbaijani counterpart in New York.
- Sanctions decision
- The European Union lifted sanctions on Alisher Usmanov and another Russian oligarch.
- Strained relations
- France-Azerbaijan ties worsened after Azerbaijan regained control of Nagorno-Karabakh in 2023.
- Regional context
- France has provided military support to Armenia, angering Azerbaijan.