Rédaction In recent years, one of the most contentious issues in Azerbaijan–France relations has been allegations of espionage. Among the scandals, few cases have drawn as much attention as that of Etibar Suleymanli. Accused of treason in Azerbaijan and linked to French intelligence, Suleymanli strongly denies the charges. Beyond the headlines, however, lies a deeper concern: the plight of an individual who, as an advocate of free expression, finds himself stripped of rights both at home and abroad.
[by Ulviyya Karimova, published on 02/09/2025]
Suleymanli insists the accusations are politically motivated. He argues that the Azerbaijani government uses charges of espionage or smuggling to suppress dissenting voices: “In Azerbaijan, those who speak the truth are either accused of smuggling or espionage. I have never engaged in anything resembling espionage. I am being targeted simply because I refuse to remain silent in the face of injustice.” He says that his contact with French counterparts was limited to discussing information from public sources — material readily available to anyone. Framing such exchanges as espionage, he argues, is nothing more than political manipulation.
Exile in France, But Without Rights
After the charges, Suleymanli fled Azerbaijan for France. For four years now, he has lived there without legal documents, struggling for survival: “I have been in France for four years, but I live without any legal papers, fighting just to stay afloat.” His case highlights not just political persecution but also a human rights dilemma. Remaining undocumented for years while seeking refugee status — and being denied even basic social protections — undermines both international law and Europe’s own values.
Official Silence
So far, neither Azerbaijan’s State Security Service nor France’s intelligence agency, the DGSE, has commented on the case. The French Embassy in Baku directed us to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, but no answers have been forthcoming. The silence underscores how both governments have sidelined not only diplomatic accountability but also human rights concerns.
Experts: A Double Failure
For political analyst and security expert Erestun Orujlu, the Suleymanli case reveals not only human rights failures but also structural weaknesses in intelligence. In a statement to the “Journalists House », he noted that espionage cases are handled mainly by the State Security Service (SSS) Counterintelligence Department:
“There is a highly structured division of labor. Special departments focus on embassies and international representations, because these are the main ‘umbrellas’ under which foreign services operate. Intelligence officers hide behind diplomatic immunity: officially diplomats, they are in reality intelligence operatives.”
According to him, behavior, attempted contacts, and areas of interest often allow analysts to identify agents, after which comprehensive measures are taken. These measures fall into two groups: intensive operations (surveillance, monitoring, collection of information within embassies and missions through individuals connected to the SSS) and technical operations (wiretapping, electronic monitoring, etc.).
But Orujlu stresses that not all agents operate through embassies. Some work under trade representations, others as “illegal residents” planted either as Azerbaijani citizens or foreigners. “In this work,” he insists, “the human factor remains central.”
Transparency Impossible in Intelligence Services
When asked about transparency, Orujlu was categorical: “Normally, there is none. Transparency only appears when an operational source or a recruited agent makes the affair public. Otherwise, everything remains in silence. Sometimes, even the exposure of spies is announced not by the services themselves but by the country’s political leadership. The very fact that the SSS issues statements about such matters shows their lack of professionalism. Transparency is incompatible with intelligence: if agencies operated transparently, they would accomplish nothing.”
France’s Failures
Regarding the cases of Suleymanli and Martin Ryan, Orujlu believes that France failed to meet its democratic obligations: “I know that Suleymanli filed an appeal in France, but the courts rejected it. In a democratic country, there cannot be a ban on filing claims against intelligence services. This looks like judicial arbitrariness. The court should have examined his complaint. If a person has been drawn into a process by foreign intelligence and as a result has been displaced, this must be investigated within a legal framework and compensation should be provided.”
Azerbaijan’s Weakened Intelligence
Orujlu also traces the decline of Azerbaijan’s counterintelligence: “Since Eldar Mahmudov’s appointment in 2004, intelligence has lost its professionalism. Experienced officers were sidelined and replaced with police officers who had no adequate training. Yet in the 1990s, counterintelligence — inheriting strong potential from the KGB — had achieved significant successes. Under Mahmudov, Azerbaijan became a battlefield for foreign intelligence.”
He recalls that under Heydar Aliyev, a former KGB general, personnel policy was professional and coherent, ensuring stronger protection. But today, he warns, “thousands of people in Azerbaijan are likely under the influence of foreign intelligence.”
Espionage and International Relations
Diplomatically, Orujlu stresses that espionage scandals are not merely the result of intelligence operations, but also political decisions. The confrontation between France and Azerbaijan worsened particularly over the Garabakh issue, with both sides making mistakes.
Yet he also notes positive developments:
“Recently, encouraging steps have been taken to improve relations. This is crucial, because France is one of the five major nuclear powers and a technologically advanced country. For Azerbaijan, normalizing relations with France is a priority. Hopefully, the espionage scandals will end with this process.”
A Regional and Geopolitical Game
International experts see the scandal not just as an individual case but part of broader geopolitical struggles. Thomas de Waal notes that South Caucasus states have long been caught in the crossfire of great power rivalries:
“The peoples of the South Caucasus have become adept at forcing great powers to play games over their conflicts. The challenge is not only managing external influence but also understanding local dynamics.” From this perspective, both the Suleymanli case and similar incidents — such as that of Martin Ryan — reflect not merely espionage but also geopolitical maneuvering.
Meanwhile, Le Monde reported that Azerbaijan has deployed anti-colonial narratives and social media campaigns resembling Soviet-era KGB tactics, designed to destabilize democracies: “Azerbaijan’s anti-colonial disinformation against France… echoes Soviet-era KGB methods, aiming to destabilize French democracy by pushing pro-independence narratives in overseas territories”. Reuters likewise noted that France accused Azerbaijan of inflaming unrest in New Caledonia with misleading social media posts targeting French police.
The Human Rights Dimension
At its core, Suleymanli’s case raises fundamental questions about refugee protections:
Freedom of expression — He claims he was charged with espionage solely for criticizing injustice.
Right to asylum — His years of living undocumented in France appear to violate the European Convention on Human Rights.
Right to legal defense — Courts’ refusal to hear his appeals undermines basic principles of justice.
The case of Etibar Suleymanli is more than a diplomatic dispute between Azerbaijan and France. It is also a test of how states treat fundamental rights when political interests are at stake. His story shows how individuals can become collateral damage in the shadow of espionage scandals and geopolitical games.
If Azerbaijan seeks to uphold its commitments, it must protect freedom of expression. And if France truly wishes to stand as a democracy, it must provide genuine protection to refugees and victims of political persecution.
For Suleymanli, the struggle is not only about clearing his name. It is about defending both freedom of speech and the principle of human rights.
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