France Urges Its Citizens Not to Visit Azerbaijan

France condemns the arbitrary and blatant discriminatory treatment suffered by our compatriot Théo Clerc in Azerbaijan. This is stated in a statement from the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

“On September 10, Théo Clerc was sentenced to three years in prison by an Azerbaijani court for graffiti in the metro, while his two co-defendants, who hold other citizenship, were only fined for the exact same activity. After our compatriot was arrested last April, the French embassy in Baku contacted Azerbaijani authorities to provide consular protection in accordance with the provisions of the Vienna Convention, in the interest of our compatriot,” the statement reads.

French citizens, including those with dual nationality, are advised not to visit Azerbaijan without compelling reasons due to the risks of arbitrary detention and unfair trials, as the judicial system in that country does not provide any guarantees of independence in matters of legal protection.