# Azerbaijan pardons Frenchman after EU lifts sanctions on Russian billionaire

https://mins.news/en/item/70812

- BBC News, 2026-09-23 14:32 UTC
- World
- Original: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cwp84rrrymd0o?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss

> Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev ordered the pardon and release of French national Martin Ryan, who had been jailed for espionage charges denied by him and France. The move came hours after the EU removed Russian billionaires Alisher Usmanov and Mikhail Fridman from its sanctions list, drawing fierce criticism from Ukraine. A second Frenchman remains jailed in Azerbaijan.

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