BakuAliyev pardoned 20 prisoners shortly after the EU delisted Alisher Usmanov.

Martin Ryan, a Frenchman jailed in Azerbaijan on espionage charges, was among them.

The pardons followed a broader diplomatic deal struck after France lobbied for Usmanov’s delisting.

The EU Council extended sanctions on roughly 3,000 others for 3 years, and also delisted Mikhail Fridman.

How each outlet framed it

drawn from 100+ reports worldwide

OCCRP
links pardon to France's lobbying for Usmanov's EU delisting, framing as diplomatic quid pro quo

Sources: OCCRP