The Baku Court of Appeal has reduced the prison sentence of Anass Derraz, the vice president of the French water supply giant SAUR, who is currently incarcerated in Azerbaijan, by three years.
Operative Information Center-OMM reports that the court issued a decision regarding the appeal filed by Derraz, effectively lowering his sentence from 12 years to 9 years.
According to the charges, Anass Derraz and Alexandre Benalla, the former head of the French presidential security service, were accused of soliciting a massive bribe in exchange for lifting international sanctions against the assets of Azerbaijani-born Russian billionaire Farkhad Akhmedov. The case, which has drawn significant attention due to the high-profile individuals involved, centers on allegations of corruption and influence peddling.
The investigation, conducted by the State Security Service (SSS) of Azerbaijan, alleges that the defendants promised to secure the release of Akhmedov's luxury yacht, the "Luna," from seizure and ensure it could sail in international waters. Furthermore, they allegedly promised to protect Akhmedov himself from international sanctions. The total agreed-upon bribe amounted to $6.14 million, with an initial payment of $600,000 transferred to accounts held by Derraz and Benalla in 2018.
While Derraz is currently serving his sentence in Azerbaijan, Alexandre Benalla remains a subject of international interest. Following a legal inquiry initiated by the SSS in 2024, Interpol issued a "Red Notice" for Benalla in April 2025. This international arrest warrant requires member states to locate and provisionally arrest the individual pending extradition. Reports indicate that extradition proceedings are currently underway in a third country where Benalla is believed to be located.
