France advises its nationals against traveling to Azerbaijan

France advises its nationals, including dual nationals, not to travel to Azerbaijan, “except for compelling reasons”according to a travel advisory published on Wednesday, September 4 by the crisis and support center of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The Quai d’Orsay estimates that French travelers in this country are exposed to “a risk of arrest, arbitrary detention and unfair trial”. “This risk may particularly concern people making a simple tourist visit or a business trip”adds the text, specifying that, “in the event of arrest or detention, respect for fundamental rights is not guaranteed”.

“We strongly condemn the severe travel warning”reacted Ayxan Hacizada, the spokesman for the Azerbaijani Ministry of Foreign Affairs, denouncing “unfounded allegations” and calling on Paris to put an end to the “smear campaign”He also sees this as an intention on the part of France to “further deteriorate its relations with Azerbaijan”.

“This unfounded claim is a distortion of reality”he continues. “So far, only one citizen of the French Republic, Martin Ryan, has been arrested in Azerbaijan on suspicion of committing an act [espionnage] prohibited by Article 276 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Azerbaijan”The spokesman also mentioned the arrest of another French citizen. “for an act committed in the Baku metro”.

In its travel warning, Paris considers that any French person arrested is exposed “to provisional detention, or a ban on leaving the country, which may last several months; to heavy prison sentences at the end of trials which may not respect the rights of the defence”.

Bilateral relations between the two countries are strained. Baku accuses France of being a major ally of Armenia, which for three decades supported separatists in the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region, finally fully reconquered by the Azerbaijani army in September 2023. Paris, for its part, has accused Baku of seeking to interfere in its domestic politics, particularly during the crisis in New Caledonia, a French overseas territory shaken since May by a deadly revolt.