Azerbaidjan - Pardon granted to Martin Ryan Azerbaijan Human rights Statement On : September 23rd 2026 France is relieved to learn of the Azerbaijani President’s decision to grant a pardon to our compatriot Martin Ryan, held in Azerbaijan since December 2023. It is a humanitarian gesture that France welcomes. This decision is the result of patient and demanding dialogue with the Azerbaijani authorities, which we intend to continue and which is a step towards normalizing our relations. France thanks all the teams in both Paris and Baku who worked tirelessly to secure this positive outcome.