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Azerbaijan, France
French interior ministry's barrage of unsigned memos about former Azerbaijani intelligence collaborator

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“Intelligence memos and grey zones before French courts”

France

Intelligence memos and grey zones before French courts

The French Ministry of the Interior regularly rejects French nationality applications from foreign nationals living in France, on the grounds that they are not "loyal" to the country. Chinese, Russian, Colombian, Kurdish and Algerian citizens have all faced rejection on this basis. The refusal is based on memos from the French domestic intelligence service (DGSI), which allege, for example, close links with a foreign intelligence service, but without giving any further details. French courts are thus becoming increasingly fussy about the content of those memos. [...]

French justice remains bogged down in the complex case of an Azerbaijani national who claims to have been recruited by the domestic intelligence service in Baku. No fewer than four "notes blanches" unsigned memos were deployed to uphold a ban on him staying in France. [...]

Published on 20/05/2025 at 04:00 GMT Reading time 3 minutes Alice Pontallier

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Government Intelligence

Read this article in our running story

“Intelligence memos and grey zones before French courts”

France

Intelligence memos and grey zones before French courts

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Azerbaijan, France
French interior ministry's barrage of unsigned memos about former Azerbaijani intelligence collaborator