France Advises Citizens Against Visiting Azerbaijan

PARIS — French nationals, including dual citizens, are now advised against traveling to Azerbaijan unless for imperative reasons, the French Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

According to the Ministry, French nationals, including dual citizens, whether residents or visitors, are at risk of arrest, arbitrary detention, and unfair trial in Azerbaijan.

“This risk can affect individuals who are simply on a tourist visit or a business trip. In the event of arrest or detention, the respect for fundamental rights is not guaranteed,” MFA said.

Any French national who is arrested is exposed to:

-provisional detention or a travel ban, which can last for several months;

• severe sentences of imprisonment following trials that may not respect the rights of the defense.

Additionally, the Foreign Ministry strongly advises against traveling to the border areas with Armenia as well as the regions of the former autonomous Nagorno-Karabakh and the adjacent districts.

The Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry strongly condemned travel warning issued by the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs, calling it a baseless attempt to damage relations between the two countries.

In a statement issued on September 4, Aykhan Hajizada, Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry’s spokesperson, criticized France’s actions, accusing the country of distorting reality. “We strongly condemn the severe travel warning for Azerbaijan issued by the Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs of France, referring to unfounded claims that French people have been allegedly detained and targeted in Azerbaijan,” Hajizada stated.