Azerbaijan's arrest of Martin Ryan, a French entrepreneur and CEO of Mercorama LC,  on espionage charges has intensified already strained diplomatic relations between France and Azerbaijan. 

Ryan was detained on December 4, 2023, with Azerbaijani ambassador Leyla Abdullayeva confirming the arrest and espionage charges. Azerbaijani judicial authorities have ordered a four-month detention for Ryan, who has been in contact with his family and reportedly states he is well-treated and has a good relationship with his lawyer.

His friends began to look for him on December 6. A now-deleted post on "Baku Expats" mentioned that his phone was switched off. According to the post, Martin was supposed to fly to France on December 7 to visit his family.

The French foreign ministry has strongly condemned Ryan's detention, demanding his immediate release and labelling the arrest as arbitrary. France has been actively engaged with Ryan's family and ensured consular visits.

The situation has exacerbated tensions between the two countries, recently manifested in reciprocal expulsions of diplomats. France's criticism of Azerbaijan over the Lachin corridor blockade and its support for Armenia, including provision of military equipment, has further strained relations.

Ryan has pleaded not guilty to the charges. His lawyer, Nizami Aliyev, claims Ryan was misled by French intelligence services. An appeal against Ryan's pre-trial detention was rejected, and the defence has now requested house arrest.

Before his arrest, Ryan had been vocal in supporting Azerbaijan's stance on various issues. An often published person in the Azerbaijan State News Agency, in interviews and an open letter to French Deputy Anne Genetet, Ryan criticised the French government and officials for allegedly propagating anti-Azerbaijani sentiments and misinformation. He accused radical elements of the large Armenian diaspora in France of influencing French politics and diplomacy, which he believed undermined France's image abroad and jeopardised the interests of French citizens in Azerbaijan.

In his interview with Caucase France, Ryan highlighted his entrepreneurial journey in Azerbaijan, establishing Mercorama LC in Baku in 2020 and moving to the country the following year. He lamented the alleged exclusion of French companies, including his own, from restoration projects in Karabakh due to the diplomatic crisis between France and Azerbaijan.

Ryan also addressed the broader context of Franco-Azerbaijani relations, expressing concerns over France's perceived partiality in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and its potential impact on French businesses and citizens in Azerbaijan.