Azerbaijani journalist Afgan Sadygov, detained in Georgia, began a hunger strike in the temporary detention center on September 20. According to his wife, Sevinj Sadygova, he is protesting against his baseless criminal prosecution and is demanding his release.
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"Afgan believes that the Georgian court unjustly sentenced him to prison, ignoring the facts and evidence presented by the defense, based on Azerbaijan’s request for extradition. The appellate court also unfairly upheld this decision. Additionally, the Georgian government made an unjust decision by refusing to grant him political asylum.
Afgan believes that, since the rule of law does not prevail in Azerbaijan or Georgia, he is forced to resort to the extreme measure of a hunger strike. He will continue to starve until his rights are restored," Sevinj Sadygova told the Azerbaijani publication Turan.
She also said that she and her two daughters are in danger in Georgia: "We are being watched. He told us that the Azerbaijani government is behind this. We live in fear. Because of the danger, I don’t let my children go to school."
Afgan Sadygov, a critic of the Azerbaijani government and editor-in-chief of Azel.TV, was arrested in Tbilisi on August 3. The following day, the city court sentenced him to three months of extradition detention. The decision was appealed, but the appellate court declared the appeal inadmissible.
On September 16, the Migration Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs refused to grant Sadygov international protection, concluding that he did not face the threats he claimed if extradited to Azerbaijan. Lawyer Rusudan Mchedlidze told Georgian News that they plan to appeal this decision in court.
As per Georgia's Ministry of Internal Affairs, Afgan Sadygov was wanted by Azerbaijan for alleged threats and extortion. A case against the journalist was initiated in Baku in May 2024, which his family members say is connected to Sadygov’s activities and criticism of the Azerbaijani government.
Afgan Sadygov had been living in Georgia with his family since December 2023. About two weeks before his arrest, in July, he attempted to travel to Turkey with his wife and children, but Georgian border guards at Tbilisi International Airport prevented him from crossing the border. They did not arrest him at that time and explained that he could only return to Azerbaijan. The Sadygov family does not feel safe in Georgia, which is why they wanted to leave.
The U.S. State Department expressed concern over Afgan Sadygov’s arrest and called on the Georgian authorities to "immediately" release him.
The international organization Amnesty International stated that the authorities should immediately stop attempting to extradite the journalist, in line with their obligations under international law and the principle of non-refoulement, and provide him and his family with international protection. Amnesty International also noted that Sadygov’s case is part of a broader trend of suppressing independent media in Azerbaijan."
