Amnesty International Urges Georgia to Block Extradition of Azerbaijani Journalist

Amnesty International has called on the Georgian authorities to halt the extradition of Azerbaijani journalist Afghan Sadigov, who was detained on August 3 and placed in a deportation prison in Georgia. Denis Krivosheev, Deputy Director for Eastern Europe and Central Asia at Amnesty International, stated that the Georgian government must respect its international obligations and the principle of non-refoulement by preventing Sadigov’s extradition to Azerbaijan.

Krivosheev emphasized that extraditing Sadigov would expose him to a significant risk of severe human rights abuses, including torture, arbitrary detention, and an unfair trial. He described Sadigov’s case as part of a broader trend toward the suppression of independent media in Azerbaijan, which has intensified ahead of COP 29.

Amnesty International also urged Azerbaijani authorities to cease politically motivated actions against journalists and critics, demanding the immediate release of individuals imprisoned solely for exercising their freedom of expression.

Sadigov, editor-in-chief of Azel.TV, has been residing in Georgia since December 2023. He was sentenced to seven years in prison in May 2020 on charges of "extortion," which Amnesty International and other observers have deemed politically motivated and marred by a lack of fair trial guarantees. Although he was pardoned in May 2023, Sadigov continued to face threats from Azerbaijani authorities, prompting his departure from Azerbaijan. Recently, Georgian authorities banned him from traveling to Turkey, restricting his movement to Azerbaijan, where a new criminal case has been opened against him on similar charges. Sadigov's family claims these charges are fabricated as retaliation for his critical journalism.

Amnesty International has highlighted that independent journalists, activists, and human rights defenders have increasingly been targeted with trumped-up charges in the lead-up to COP 29. Sadigov’s detention in Georgia comes as a Georgian court has placed him in custody while awaiting a final decision on his extradition.