A French national has been found guilty of spying on the military in Azerbaijan and sentenced to 10 years in a maximum security prison, state media report. Martin Ryan was accused in December 2023 of spying on behalf of Paris and collecting secret information about Baku's military co-operation with Turkey and Pakistan. Ryan was put on trial alongside an Azerbaijani citizen, Azad Mamedli, who was sentenced to 12 years for treason, AFP news agency reports. In November 2024, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev accused France of alleged "crimes" against overseas territories like New Caledonia, after riots broke out on the French colony causing the death of fourteen people. "The crimes of France in its so-called overseas territories would not be complete without mentioning the recent human rights violations," said Aliyev during his speech at COP29 climate talks in Baku. " In response, France's environment minister Agnès Pannier-Runacher cancelled her attendance at the 2024 conference.