France has accused Azerbaijan of imposing “arbitrary and discriminatory treatment” on French graffiti artist Théo Clerc, who was sentenced to three years in prison for tagging the Baku metro.
Théo Clerc was arrested – along with two friends from Australia and New Zealand – in the Azeri capital Baku on 30 March for spraying graffiti in the metro.
The three men were each fined and released, but 38-year-old Clerc was re-arrested the next day and has remained in detention since.
On Tuesday, an Azeri court sentenced Clerc to three years in prison.
"His two codefendants, who were accused of the exact same offence but hold a different nationality, were simply fined," France's foreign ministry said in a statement on Thursday.
"France denounces the arbitrary and openly discriminatory treatment that our compatriot Théo Clerc has suffered in Azerbaijan."
'More severe' punishment
Azerbaijan has roundly rejected the accusations of "discrimination" against Clerc and criticism of Baku's legal process as "unacceptable" and "groundless", its foreign ministry said in a statement, claiming the heavier punishment was justified.
"His insincere statements to the court regarding his ignorance of the illegality of acts of this nature in the Republic of Azerbaijan, including his lack of remorse for the act he committed, should be listed as the factors determining his punishment to be more severe than the other two persons."
The ministry also accused France of "international law violations, neocolonial policy, racist, discriminatory, and Islamophobic activities, and human rights restrictions".
Frenchman arrested in Azerbaijan for 'espionage'
Baku 'stoking tensions'
Paris, a longtime supporter of Armenia and home to a sizable Armenian diaspora, has a history of frosty relations with the country's arch-rival Azerbaijan.
Tensions have intensified since the second Armenia-Azeraijan war over the breakaway region of Nagorno-Karabakh in 2020 and Baku’s takeover of the region last year, which forced over 100,000 Armenians to flee..
In a further downturn, France recalled its ambassador in April, accusing Baku of taking actions that have damaged the bilateral relationship.
France claims Azerbaijan is interfering in its domestic politics by stoking tensions in overseas territories and dependencies – most recently the Pacific archipelago of New Caledonia, rocked by deadly unrest in May.
Azerbaijan accused of stirring unrest in New Caledonia as tensions persist
In July, Baku hosted a two-day congress of separatist movements from French territories, where they formed an "International Front for the Liberation of French Colonies" and accused France of racism and repression.
On Thursday, France advised its citizens and dual nationals against travelling to Azerbaijan unless absolutely necessary, citing the risk of arbitrary detention and unfair legal proceedings.
Another Frenchman, Martin Ryan, is currently detained in Azerbaijan on espionage charges – an accusation Paris has “categorically” denied..
Azerbaijan has been ruled by President Ilham Aliev since 2003. The gas-rich Caspian state will host the Cop29 UN climate change conference in November.
(with newswires)
