Azerbaijan Upholds French Businessman's 10-Year Prison Sentence in Case Linked to the Nagorno-Karabakh Conflict

An Azerbaijani appeals court has upheld the 10-year prison sentence of French citizen Martin Ryan, rejecting his bid to overturn a conviction that has become one of the most contentious legal cases in the diplomatic standoff between Baku and Paris since the forced displacement of Armenians from Artsakh in 2023.

Ryan, a French businessman who managed the Azerbaijan-based company Merkorama LLC, was arrested by Azerbaijan's State Security Service on Dec. 4, 2023, alongside Azerbaijani citizen Azad Mamedli. The arrests came as relations between France and Azerbaijan sharply deteriorated after France condemned Azerbaijan's military offensive in Nagorno-Karabakh, which forced more than 120,000 ethnic Armenians to flee their indigenous homes, and expanded defense cooperation with Armenia.

Azerbaijani authorities accused Ryan of spying for France's foreign intelligence service, the Directorate-General for External Security (DGSE). Prosecutors alleged he collected sensitive information on Azerbaijan's military capabilities, defense industry, cooperation with Turkey and Pakistan, troop mobilization during the 2020 war, and individuals who could potentially be recruited as intelligence sources.

Although the indictment focused on military issues linked to the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict, Ryan was not accused of spying for Armenia. Instead, prosecutors claimed he gathered intelligence on behalf of France as part of what Azerbaijani authorities described as an espionage network operating inside the country.

Ryan has denied knowingly committing espionage. During his trial, he acknowledged carrying out some of the activities outlined by prosecutors but argued he did not understand they could be considered intelligence work and never intended to violate Azerbaijani law.

Mamedli, Ryan's Azerbaijani co-defendant, was convicted of high treason and sentenced to 12 years in prison. Prosecutors alleged he passed classified information after being recruited through Ryan and promised foreign citizenship in return. He has denied the allegations.

The trial opened in January 2025 before the Baku Court for Grave Crimes and continued for more than a year. French diplomats attended the hearings throughout the proceedings. Ryan was convicted in March 2026 and sentenced to 10 years in prison. This week, the Baku Court of Appeal left the verdict unchanged, exhausting one of his main legal avenues within Azerbaijan.

France has repeatedly rejected the case against Ryan, calling the prosecution politically motivated and insisting he did not receive a fair trial. French officials have demanded his release and argued that the charges reflect the broader deterioration in relations between the two countries rather than credible evidence of espionage.

Azerbaijan has dismissed those accusations. Following the appeal ruling, officials said the investigation and court proceedings were conducted in accordance with Azerbaijani law, stressed that Ryan's legal and consular rights were respected throughout the process, and accused France of interfering in the country's judicial system.

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