Azerbaijan completes implementation of President Aliyev’s pardon order for 20 convicts PHOTO / UPDATED

Azerbaijan has fully completed the implementation of President Ilham Aliyev’s pardon order covering 20 convicted individuals.

The procedures stipulated by the order have been completed at facilities operated by the Penitentiary Service of the Ministry of Justice.

Under the order, 19 people sentenced to imprisonment and one convict serving a sentence involving restriction of liberty were released from the unserved portions of their sentences. A Pakistani citizen was the only woman released under the presidential pardon order.

15:29

A pardon order signed on September 23 by Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev covering a number of convicted individuals has been carried out at Penitentiary Facilities No. 2 and No. 17 of the Penitentiary Service.

Four people were released from the facility, all of them Azerbaijani citizens.

Overall, the pardon order covers 20 people. Of these, 19 had been sentenced to imprisonment, while one had been sentenced to restriction of liberty.

14:35

Implementation of the pardon order signed by Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has begun, granting clemency to 20 convicted individuals.

The order is being carried out at facilities operated by the Penitentiary Service of the Ministry of Justice, Caliber.Az reports via local media.

Under its terms, 19 people serving prison sentences have been released from further imprisonment, while another convict has been released from the unserved portion of a sentence involving restriction of liberty.

Among those pardoned is French national Martin Ryan, who was sentenced to 10 years in prison by the Baku Court of Grave Crimes in March 2026 after being convicted of espionage on behalf of France. 

Ryan, who was arrested in December 2023, was accused by Azerbaijani authorities of collecting sensitive information on the country’s military capabilities and cooperation with foreign states, as well as facilitating contacts between an Azerbaijani citizen and French intelligence officers.

By Jeyhun Aghazada