Accused French Spy Martin Ryan Claims His Ties Were 'Personal'

The Baku Grave Crimes Court has resumed the high-profile trial of Martin Ryan, a French national and General Director of “Merkorama” LLC, and Azad Mammadli, an Azerbaijani citizen, both accused of espionage in favor of France, Azernews reports.

Presided over by Judge Elmin Rustamov, the session included direct questioning of Martin Ryan, who is charged under Article 276 (espionage) of the Criminal Code. Responding to questions from his defense lawyer about his interactions with individuals linked to the French Embassy, Ryan stated:

When asked how he realized those individuals were likely members of the French secret services, Ryan answered:

Despite acknowledging suspicions, Ryan justified maintaining the relationship:

Ryan added that he did not report his concerns to Azerbaijani authorities, fearing it would be seen as betrayal by France:

During cross-examination by Azad Mammadli's lawyer, Ryan revealed that he met Azad in 2019 through a mutual acquaintance, noting:

In his testimony, Azad Mammadli denied all allegations of espionage, saying:

Mammadli rejected claims that he had ever collaborated or agreed to cooperate with French officials, calling Ryan's previous testimony false. He stated:

Addressing one of the accusations related to strategic security, Mammadli said:

Mammadli emphasized that he never sought French citizenship and was not offered it. He also portrayed himself as a victim, stating:

He further alleged that Ryan involved nine Azerbaijani citizens through“artificial friendships,” and added:

Both defendants were arrested on December 4, 2023, following an investigation by the State Security Service (SSS). The charges accuse Martin Ryan of acting under orders from the DGSE (French General Directorate for External Security) and of recruiting Mammadli and others before being declared persona non grata and expelled from Baku.

The next hearing is scheduled for May 19.

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