Full Breakdown
Azerbaijan Pardons French Spy Amid EU Sanctions Delisting of Russian Oligarchs
By Drooid · · How we work
Core Event: Pardon of Martin Ryan and Timing with EU Sanctions
On September 23, President Ilham Aliyev signed a decree pardoning French citizen Martin Ryan, who had been serving a ten-year term for espionage after a March 16, 2026 conviction. The pardon was announced a day after the European Union removed Russian billionaires Alisher Usmanov and Mikhail Fridman from its sanctions list. Diplomatic sources said France’s push to delist Usmanov was linked to the release of Ryan and another French detainee.
Background & Context
The EU imposed sanctions on Usmanov and Fridman in 2022 following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, freezing assets and banning travel. Their removal in September 2026 marked the first delisting of Russian elite who had not publicly condemned the war, highlighting divisions among EU members. Relations between Baku and Paris have long been strained because France supports Armenia and supplies arms to Yerevan. Azerbaijan has previously used high-profile detainees as leverage in negotiations with Western capitals.
Key Figures & Groups
- Ilham Aliyev – President of Azerbaijan.
- Martin Ryan – French CEO of a Baku-based food-import firm, convicted of spying for France’s DGSE.
- Alisher Usmanov – Uzbek-born metals and telecom magnate, delisted after French lobbying.
- Mikhail Fridman – Russian billionaire, also delisted.
- Volodymyr Zelenskiy – President of Ukraine, condemned the delistings.
- Andriy Sybiga – Ukrainian Foreign Minister, called the move “shameful and unjustifiable.”
- French Foreign Ministry – rejected the espionage charges against Ryan.
Timeline
- December 4, 2023 – Ryan detained by Azerbaijan’s State Security Service.
- March 16, 2026 – Ryan sentenced to ten years for espionage.
- September 22, 2026 – EU lifts sanctions on Usmanov and Fridman; diplomats report France’s private admission that Baku leveraged the case.
- September 23, 2026 – Aliyev pardons Ryan and 19 other prisoners.
Data & Statistics
- 10-year term for Ryan, imposed March 2026.
- 20 individuals pardoned on September 23, including 14 Azerbaijanis, 2 Turkish nationals, a dual Russian-Israeli citizen, a Pakistani citizen, and 5 foreign nationals (including Ryan).
- Usmanov and Fridman were the only members of Russia’s billionaire elite removed from the EU sanctions list in this cycle.
Official Statements & Responses
An Azerbaijani diplomat called allegations of a pressure campaign “categorically unfounded” and said Baku supported Usmanov’s delisting without trying to influence Western decisions. The French foreign ministry, in a July 2026 statement, called the espionage conviction “arbitrary” and demanded Ryan’s release. Ukrainian President Zelenskiy described the delistings as a “shameful” concession to Moscow’s allies.
Criticism & Opposition
Ukrainian officials condemned the EU’s decision. Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiga argued it undermined European unity against Russia.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
Sources differ on the status of the second French detainee, Anass Derraz. French weekly *Challenges* and *Kyiv Independent* identify Derraz, an employee of water-management firm Saur, as sentenced to 12 years in 2025, yet he was not included in the September 23 pardon. Azerbaijani officials have not confirmed his fate. While three European diplomats reported that France privately admitted Baku used the sanctions case as leverage, an Azerbaijani diplomat rejected the claim as “categorically unfounded,” leaving the exact nature of the diplomatic exchange unclear.
What’s Next
The EU’s sanctions extension, agreed alongside the delistings, will remain in force for 36 months, until 22 September 2029. Member states may still impose national measures against Usmanov and Fridman, as indicated by Latvia’s plan to draft domestic sanctions.