French Citizen Faces Spy Charges Amid Diplomatic Tensions

French national Martin Ryan is on trial in Azerbaijan on espionage charges, potentially facing a 10- to 15-year sentence. Arrested in December 2023, he is accused of gathering military intelligence and facilitating recruitment for French intelligence. The trial reflects souring relations between Azerbaijan and France.

In Baku on Monday, French citizen Martin Ryan was tried on allegations of espionage, charges that could lead to a decade-long prison sentence. Arrested in December 2023, Ryan is accused by Azerbaijan of collecting sensitive intelligence regarding its military cooperation with Turkey and Pakistan, and of aiding the recruitment of French-speaking Azerbaijanis for French intelligence.

In court, Ryan admitted to the actions attributed to him but insisted that they were conducted unknowingly and said he planned to present supporting evidence. Ryan, employed by a food import firm offering consulting services, allegedly served as a contact point between French intelligence and Azad Mammadli, an Azerbaijani citizen on trial alongside him.

Mammadli, charged with high treason, could face 15 years to life imprisonment if found guilty, though he pleaded not guilty at the hearing. This case unfolds amid deteriorating diplomatic relations between Azerbaijan and France, following Azerbaijan's retake of the Nagorno-Karabakh region in September 2023, and France's solidarity with Armenia.

(With inputs from agencies.)