New figure in "French spy" case

Amid the lack of official information on the case of unmasking of "French spy network" in Azerbaijan, foreign media report new details of this story.

It should be recalled that in early December, French citizen Martin Rian, who had been engaged in private business, was arrested in Baku on this case. He was accused of espionage, and two employees of the Embassy of France in Azerbaijan were declared persona non grata.

The French newspaper "Observer Online" reported that there is another person arrested in the case, Azerbaijani citizen A. Mammadli. He is accused of establishing "extensive secret links" with the French citizen Rian "in exchange for the granting of French citizenship and material rewards".

It is alleged that he was involved in collecting and transmitting information on the region to the French intelligence services.

According to the same source, Rian and A. Mammadli, on instructions from intelligence officers, established relations with employees of the French bank "Societe Generale".

NOte that Mammadli was involved in opening "correspondent accounts" of the bank in Azerbaijani banks and signing interbank agreements on other issues.

From all this it is not clear what espionage is about and what the opening of bank accounts has to do with it.

It should be added that Rian's Azerbaijani lawyer refuses to comment, and it has not been possible to establish who is defending Mammadli's rights.