France Tells Citizens Not to Travel to Azerbaijan – Asbarez.com

Cites Risks of Arrests and Detention. Baku Accuses Paris of Engaging in ‘Smear Campaign’

French nationals, including dual citizens, are being advised against traveling to Azerbaijan unless it is imperative, according to a new travel warning issued on Wednesday by France’s Foreign Ministry, which cites risks of arbitrary arrests and detentions by Azerbaijani authorities.

“French nationals, including dual nationals, whether residents or passing through, are exposed to the risk of arrest, arbitrary detention and unfair trial in Azerbaijan,” the French Foreign Ministry said.

“This risk may particularly concern people who are simply on a tourist visit or a business trip. In the event of arrest or detention, respect for fundamental rights is not guaranteed,” the statement added.

“Any French national who is arrested is exposed to, pretrial detention or a ban on leaving the country, which may last several months; heavy prison sentences at the end of trials that may not respect the rights of the defense,” the travel warning emphasized.

The French Foreign Ministry also advised its citizens against traveling to the border areas with Armenia, as well as regions in what it called “the former Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast,” a term recently being used by European diplomats to refer to occupied Artsakh.

While the French travel advisory does not make reference to specific instances, it comes months after a French national was detained in Azerbaijan late last year and charged with espionage.

France demanded the release of French national Martin Ryan, who was arrested in December, but Azerbaijani authorities disclosed information about his detention almost a full month later.

Azerbaijan’s foreign ministry issued an angry statement on Wednesday, accusing France of “unfounded bias,” advancing a “racist” policy and organizing a “smear campaign” against Baku.

Azerbaijan’s foreign ministry spokesperson Aykhan Hajizada said that France’s allegations of unjust detentions are without merit, and specifically addressed Ryan’s detention.

“So far, only one citizen of the French Republic, Martin Ryan, has been detained in Azerbaijan on suspicion of committing an act [espionage], Hajizada said.

In his statement, Azerbaijani official also accused France of hypocrisy on its human rights policies and said that the French government is violating international law by engaging in what Hajizada called, “neocolonial policy.”

“Everyone is well aware of international law violations, neocolonial policy, racist, discriminatory, and Islamophobic activities, and human rights restrictions of France,” Hajizada said, adding that France’s attempts to lecture Azerbaijan on democracy are misguided.

The Azerbaijani official went on to demand that France cease what he described as a “smear campaign” against Azerbaijan.

High-level Azerbaijani officials, including the country’s president, Ilham Aliyev, have accused France of biased as it relates to the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict settlement efforts, after it was announced that France is selling military equipment to Armenia.

Aliyev and others have said by “arming Armenia,” France was destabilizing the region and hindering the peace process between Yerevan and Baku.

France’s travel warning comes weeks before Azerbaijan is scheduled to host the United Nations Climate Summit, known as COP29, in Baku in November.