Afgan Sadigov – Azerbaijani investigative journalist faces extradition to Azerbaijan
Journalist and editor-in-chief of the media outlet Azel.Tv, Afgan Sadigov, began having problems in Georgia, Tbilisi, after Azerbaijan, in the summer of 2024. He was detained by the Georgian Ministry of Internal Affairs. At the time, this agency stated that Sadigov was wanted by Azerbaijan for crimes related to threats and extortion. Human rights activists responded to the incident and stated that the detention was related to political persecution by the Ilham Aliyev government.
Human rights activists working in Georgia also actively participated in Sadigov’s case. According to them, Georgia did not protect Sadigov, who was persecuted for his professional activities. It did not even grant him the appropriate status and made an extradition decision.
The Tbilisi City Court made a decision to extradite the detained Azerbaijani investigative journalist, Afgan Sadigov, to Azerbaijan on November 28, 2024. The decision was preceded by Sadigov’s 100-day hunger strike.
“ Afgan Sadigov is an Azerbaijani journalist and editor-in-chief of the online media “Azel.Tv”. For years, he has been actively writing about corruption of high-ranking officials in Azerbaijan, crimes, and various social issues.
Due to his critical attitude towards the government, A. Sadigov was called upon by government representatives to stop disseminating information, otherwise they threatened him with reprisals. However, he did not stop his journalistic activities. After that, Afgan Sadigov was arrested twice in Azerbaijan, first in 2016 (on charges of beating a person unknown to him), and then in 2020 on charges of extortion and sentenced to 5 years in prison (after his release from prison in May 2018, Afgan Sadigov was also administratively arrested three times). An analysis of the circumstances of the aforementioned criminal cases shows that the criminal prosecution against him was unfounded and was aimed more at punishing him. After more than 2 years of imprisonment, Afgan Sadigov was released in May 2023 on the basis of a presidential pardon. He went on a hunger strike for 242 days while in prison, which severely damaged his health, including the development of serious illnesses. Afgan Sadigov recalls the most serious facts of inhuman treatment by the prison administration during his hunger strike.
The Center for Social Justice believes that the refusal of the Immigration Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs to grant international protection or humanitarian status to Azerbaijani journalist Afgan Sadigov is illegal, arbitrary and unjustified. We are appealing this decision in court on behalf of Afgan Sadigov. The Center for Social Justice calls on the court to grant the journalist international protection and thus prevent his extradition to Azerbaijan and the real and clear risks of political persecution, torture, or inhuman treatment,” – Center for Social Justice, October 16, 2024.
The fact that Azerbaijan is not a safe country for independent journalists and human rights defenders is indicated by more than one report from a noteworthy agency/organization.
The 2023 U.S. State Department report on the human rights situation in Azerbaijan lists a number of problems, including: torture and cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment by members of the security forces; harsh and sometimes life-threatening conditions in prison; arbitrary detentions; serious problems with the independence of the judiciary; political prisoners and detainees; transnational repression of individuals outside the country; Arbitrary or unlawful interference with privacy; Punishing family members for alleged crimes committed by relatives; Severe restrictions on freedom of expression and the media, including violence against journalists, arbitrary detention or prosecution of journalists, and the use of criminal defamation laws to restrict expression; Severe restrictions on internet freedom; De facto ban on the right to peaceful assembly and significant interference with freedom of association; Restrictions on freedom of movement; Inability of citizens to peacefully change their government through free and fair elections; Severe and unjustified restrictions on political participation; Serious government corruption; Severe government restrictions on the activities of domestic and international human rights organizations; The high number of political prisoners is also mentioned in the US State Department report.
The exact date of the extradition of the Azerbaijani investigative journalist is currently unknown. Sadigov has been addressing the public from prison for a year. This is the last message he has understood and shared with the public at this stage:
“ In recent days, during the continuous protests in Tbilisi, brutal and severe violence has been observed against demonstrators, and the police have also treated journalists mercilessly. Some of the journalists have been severely beaten, while others have been taken to hospitals with broken bones and various body injuries.
I salute the independent media and journalists of Georgia, who have constantly supported me, showing courage, endurance and willpower, I thank them and I support them.
Long live the independent media and journalists of Georgia! Long live the citizens who love democracy and freedom! No matter what happens, the Georgian people must not allow a dictatorship to be established in the country, because this is the basis of all evil, even worse than death.
It seems that the Georgian government is also going to become a member of the union of dictators (Russia, Azerbaijan, Turkey, Belarus, North Korea and their allies), which is the enemy of humanity and is striving towards them.
The political situation in Azerbaijan is much more difficult. The prisons are full of political prisoners. For more than 20 years, the government of Ilham Aliyev, with a team of criminal, corrupt, murderous, bribe-taking officials, has been robbing the state budget, harassing and oppressing the people, severely threatening members of political parties, independent media representatives and civil activists, and intensifying repressions against them. These processes have reached their climax in Azerbaijan today.
As for my case, due to my journalistic work and investigations in Azerbaijan, my family and I were constantly under the most severe persecution and threats. We were blackmailed about our family honor, they threatened to kill our young children. My family, who is now in Tbilisi, is still being threatened and persecuted, their lives are in serious danger. It is precisely on the orders of the Azerbaijani dictator that I am imprisoned in Georgia. I was detained twice for long periods and three times under administrative detention by order of the Azerbaijani authorities and lived for several years as a political prisoner.
Down with the dictatorship! No to repression! Freedom for all political prisoners! Afgan Sadigov. Georgia, Tbilisi Prison” – Afgan Sadigov’s letter was published by the “Center for Social Justice”.
Author/journalist: Manon Bokuchava