Ryan, one of two French citizens detained in Baku on espionage charges, was granted a pardon following what the French foreign ministry called "a patient and rigorous dialogue with the Azerbaijani authorities." The French foreign ministry spokesperson Pascal Confavreux said the decision marks a step toward normalising ties between the two countries.
Diplomatic sources said Ryan was on his way back to Paris on Wednesday morning after the head of France's external intelligence agency travelled to Azerbaijan to secure his release. France's foreign minister, Jean‑Noël Barrot, met his Azeri counterpart in New York on the same day, underscoring the diplomatic momentum behind the move.
The pardon comes amid a broader diplomatic push by France to have Alisher Usmanov removed from EU sanctions, a request the French government framed as a national‑security concern. The EU lifted sanctions on Usmanov and a second Russian oligarch on Tuesday after a week of negotiations, a decision France acknowledged could set an "awkward precedent" but sought to minimise its impact.
Relations between Azerbaijan and France have been strained since Azerbaijan reclaimed the Nagorno‑Karabakh region in 2023, prompting an exodus of about 120,000 ethnic Armenians and sparking French criticism of Baku's actions. France has also accused Azerbaijan‑linked groups of running disinformation campaigns and of stoking unrest in France's Pacific territory of New Caledonia.
It remains unclear whether the second French detainee – a businessman sentenced to 12 years in prison for bribery – will also be released. French officials have not commented further on his status.