Azerbaijan espionage trial: Martin Ryan accuses France of manipulating him for spy activities

French citizen Martin Ryan, accused of espionage in Azerbaijan, has publicly admitted his ties with French intelligence and described how he was drawn into espionage activities due to an abuse of trust.

Speaking during his trial at the Baku Court for Serious Crimes, Ryan revealed details about his involvement in the espionage case, in which he and Azerbaijani citizen Azad Mammadli are both charged, Caliber.Az reports via local media.

Ryan explained that he came to Azerbaijan to run a legitimate business, and as a businessman, he established connections with the French Embassy.

Ryan confirmed meeting with three French intelligence officers who were operating under diplomatic cover. He said, "They didn’t initially present themselves as intelligence officers, but their behaviour and questions made it clear what they were up to. They offered me dangerous work for money, which I refused. That’s when I realized they were agents. They were focused on countries that compete with France, and they tried to recruit French-speaking Azerbaijanis. Azad Mammadli was also approached with an offer."

Ryan admitted that despite realizing the agents' true identities, he could not sever ties with them, expressing regret over the situation. "I regret not breaking away from them. The French government used me," he stated.

He went on to explain that the meetings with these agents took place both at the French Embassy and in public settings. Ryan added, "They took advantage of my trust and drew me into espionage activities. They asked about sensitive topics, and I answered. One of them even offered me a dangerous job, but I refused. They were also trying to recruit Azad. Their goal was to find French-speaking people in Azerbaijan, and Azad had regular meetings with them as well."

Ryan described how he and Mammadli realized they were being manipulated. "We were promised safety because they were diplomats. Everyone who met with us held high positions in the embassy," he said. He also explained that the agents tasked them with gathering intelligence on Russia and Iran while warning them to avoid contacts with businessmen from these countries. "They assured us that our contacts were completely safe because they were diplomats. But when Azad and I were arrested, none of them tried to help us."

Ryan shared that he reached out to the French government for assistance but received no response. "Macron dismissed French intelligence chief Bernard Émié by decree, acknowledging the failure of the operation in Azerbaijan. Two French Embassy agents, Jerome and Laurent, who were expelled from the country, ignored the summons of the investigation. They didn’t help us at all. The French media kept quiet about my arrest until my father raised the issue. Now he is going to court, and I support him."

Ryan placed the blame squarely on the French government for his troubles, saying, "Their agents came here on orders from Paris. Now they must deal with the consequences. I've been in jail for over a year, I’ve lost my job, and long-term projects have been derailed. I had bought a house and was planning to get married. If my arrest was illegal, why hasn’t France done anything about it?"

The public hearing, presided over by Judge Elmin Rustamov, was attended by representatives from both local and foreign media, along with officials from the embassy. The next session of the trial is scheduled for March 12.

Martin Ryan, the CEO of Mercorama LLC, was arrested on December 4, 2023, along with several others, and charged with espionage. According to the case file, Ryan was recruited as a spy by agents of the French DGSE (Directorate General for External Security), who were later expelled from Azerbaijan as "persona non grata." Azad Mammadli, the Azerbaijani citizen, is also on trial for treason.

By Tamilla Hasanova