Azerbaijan Responds to Statement from France

The official Baku strongly condemns the statement from the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs regarding the need for citizens of France to avoid traveling to Azerbaijan due to arrests and persecutions.

This is stated in the comment of the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry's press secretary, Ayxan Hacızadə. He noted, "Such unfounded and biased statements indicate France's desire to escalate tensions in relations with Azerbaijan regarding the alleged arrests and detentions of French citizens in Azerbaijan. France's statements regarding alleged arrests have no basis."

The Foreign Ministry representative reminded that only two French citizens have been detained in Azerbaijan: Martin Ryan, who is accused under Article 276 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Azerbaijan (espionage), and officer Théo Hugon, who caused damage to property in Baku.