French water executive Anass Derraz has been sentenced to 12 years in prison in Azerbaijan on charges of accepting bribes from Russian–Azerbaijani billionaire Farkhad Akhmedov. In what appears to be a continuation of tensions between Azerbaijan and France.
The Baku Court of Grave Crimes sentenced Derraz, vice-president at French water management firm Saur, on 13 November.
Derraz was arrested by Azerbaijan’s State Security Service (DTX) in July 2024 and, according to the case files, he was charged in May 2024. At the time, pro-government media reported that he was accused of money laundering and of accepting a large bribe from Akhmedov in 2018.
According to Azerbaijani pro-government media outlet Caliber, Derraz and Alexandre Benalla — the former bodyguard of French President Emmanuel Macron — had promised to secure the release of Akhmedov’s luxury yacht Luna and to shield him from sanctions.
Akhmedov allegedly gave the pair over $6 million to fulfil the task, drafting a ‘fictitious consulting agreement to provide a veneer of legitimacy’, according to Caliber.
Despite Derraz being convicted of receiving a bribe from Akhmedov, the Russian–Azerbaijani billionaire himself has not been charged with or accused of handing out bribes, in an apparent violation of Azerbaijan’s criminal law.
He was, however, summoned as a witness in the case, testifying on 16 October at the Baku Court of Grave Crimes that he had been defrauded out of $600,000 for the yacht Luna.
Luna, at the time, was docked in Dubai, UAE. British authorities had seized the yacht after Akhmedov’s ex-wife filed a property division lawsuit against him.
The investigation alleged that Akhmedov had transferred $200,000 to Derraz and $400,000 to Benalla.
Akhmedov has had a storied career in Russian politics, including having served as a Russian Senator between 2004–2009. In April 2022, both the UK and EU placed Akhmedov under sanctions for his involvement in Russian politics and Russia’s energy sector. The EU lifted the sanctions on Akhmedov in September 2023, while the UK lifted its sanctions in March 2025.
Luna later spent time frozen in Hamburg, Germany, due to sanctions placed on Akhmedov.
A proxy conflict with France
Speaking to OC Media on the condition of anonymity, a member of Derraz’s family said that they believed his sentencing was of a political nature and was related to tensions between France and Azerbaijan.
‘I can confirm it is a political issue. When [Derraz] was first arrested in Azerbaijan, the French Embassy representative told him that there were serious tensions between France and Azerbaijan, and that he had been trapped because of this’.
Derraz’s relative said that Akhmedov was ‘satisfied’ with Derraz’s work in securing the release of Luna in 2018, and as a result, had invited him to Azerbaijan.
‘Derraz only coordinated the lawyers who could help Akhmedov with his issue. He was satisfied with his work and that is why Akhmedov invited Derraz to Azerbaijan. Akhmedov also said in the trial that he never complained about Derraz to the court’, the relative said.
Derraz was arrested in July 2024 a day after he held a meeting with representatives of Azersu, Azerbaijan’s state water agency.
Derraz’s lawyer, Yagub Najafli, told OC Media that Derraz was remanded to house arrest during the investigation.
‘Derraz did not face any pressure, and neither did I’, Najafli said. He added that he was going to meet with his client, now in prison, again soon.
Najafli stressed that he did not receive the indictment regarding the criminal case, which is why he could not yet say if the decision would be appealed or not.
‘We will appeal this decision if Derraz agrees [to it] after we receive the indictment’, Najafli said.
Akhmedov’s lawyer, Shaig Mirzayev, told OC Media that Derraz was not arrested at Akhmedov’s request, and that Akhmedov had only been called as a witness. He added that the criminal case against Derraz was initiated not based on a complaint from any individual, but on preliminary materials collected by law enforcement agencies.
In April, Azerbaijani state media claimed that the country had issued an Interpol red notice for Benalla in relation to the same case. At the time, pro-government media outlet APA said the DTX had been investigating the case for years.
There currently are no listings for Benalla on Interpol’s website. No listings could be found on the website in April either, and claims that a red notice had been issued for him could not be independently verified.
The French Embassy has not responded to OC Media’s request for comment on Derraz’s sentencing.
Relations between Azerbaijan and France have plummeted in recent years, largely due to French support for Armenia. The feud has become personal, with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev directly accusing Macron of ‘pushing [Armenia] to war’ during a speech in March.
Over the past few years, Azerbaijan has engaged in a variety of diplomatic attacks against France, some of which have escalated beyond simple rhetoric. In 2024, France accused Azerbaijan of supporting a separatist movement in New Caledonia, which escalated into violent riots that left 14 dead.
Nate Ostiller
