France Condemns Azerbaijan's Verdict: Statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs

France has condemned the arbitrary and blatant discriminatory treatment of its citizen, Theo Clerc, who has been sentenced to three years in prison for graffiti in a metro station in Azerbaijan. At the same time, the other two defendants, convicted for the same actions, received monetary fines, according to a statement from France's Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Following Clerc's arrest, the French embassy in Baku contacted the relevant authorities in Azerbaijan to advocate for the interests of the French citizen and to provide consular protection in accordance with the provisions of the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations. Representatives from the embassy attended all court sessions.

The French Ministry of Foreign Affairs reminded its citizens, including those with dual nationality, of the warning against traveling to Azerbaijan unless absolutely necessary, citing the risk of arbitrary detention and unfair trial in a country where the judicial system does not guarantee independence or the protection of rights.