French graffiti artist sentenced to 3 years of prison for painting the Baku Metro in Azerbaijan

A French graffiti writer Théo Clerc has been sentenced to three years in an Azerbaijani prison for painting the Baku metro with graffiti. The sentencing, which also involved fines for his two companions from New Zealand and Australia, has further strained relations between France and Azerbaijan.

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Clerc, along with a New Zealander and Australian graffiti writer, was arrested in April after spray-painting trains at Baku’s Bakmil metro station. While the two companions were fined €3,620 each and placed under house arrest, Clerc faced harsher punishment, which many believe is tied to his French nationality and the deteriorating diplomatic ties between Paris and Baku.

The Narimanov District Court convicted the trio on September 10 under charges of hooliganism and property damage. Although Clerc had already paid a fine and compensation for the graffiti, the court imposed a three-year prison sentence, arguing that the damage caused significant consequences, including the temporary suspension of train services.

Before the sentencing, the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a travel advisory warning citizens about potential risks in Azerbaijan, including arbitrary detention and unfair trials. Clerc, who has been in pre-trial detention since April, maintains his innocence, stating he had no intent to cause harm and was unaware that his actions would lead to criminal charges.

Clerc’s lawyer, Elchin Sadigov, noted that the only difference between the cases was their nationalities, hinting at Clerc’s French identity as the reason for the harsher sentence. In a heartfelt appeal, Clerc described himself as a peaceful artist, not a criminal, and expressed his anguish over the situation.

The French government’s support for Armenia in its conflicts with Azerbaijan, including arms sales and criticism of Baku’s actions in Nagorno-Karabakh, has contributed to the strained relations. A French diplomatic source suggested that Clerc’s nationality played a role in his severe punishment, but admitted that France has limited influence over the situation.

Azerbaijani authorities, however, dismissed France’s concerns as baseless and urged Paris to cease its “defamatory campaign” against Azerbaijan. Meanwhile, De-Saint Quentin and Han expressed surprise at the severe consequences, noting that they had engaged in similar graffiti activities in other countries without legal repercussions.

The case continues to draw international attention as Clerc and his companions plan to appeal their sentences.