The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) urged Georgian authorities immediately release Azerbaijani journalist Afgan Sadygov

Georgian authorities should immediately release Azerbaijani journalist Afgan Sadygov and stop his extradition to Azerbaijan, said today the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) and its affiliate in Georgia, the Independent Association of Georgian Journalists (IAGJ).

“We call on the Georgian authorities to refrain from being complicit in the Azerbaijani political trials, which have been fabricated on the basis of false evidence,” said EFJ President Maja Sever.

“This wave of repression has already put 23 journalists behind bars. Azerbaijan has become one of the most repressive states in Europe, after Russia and Belarus. The EFJ joins Amnesty International in calling on Georgia to stop the extradition of Afgan Sadygov”. “The detention of an Azeri journalist in Georgia is alarming for all media workers in the country,” added Zviad Pochkhua, IAGJ President.

On Saturday 3 August, Azerbaijani journalist Afgan Sadygov, editor-in-chief of AzelTV news website, known for his reporting on embezzlement of public funds in Azerbaijan, was arrested by Georgian criminal police as he was leaving his home in Tbilisi with his wife and children. Georgia made the arrest in response to an extradition request from the Azerbaijani authorities, following vague accusations of threats and extortion.

On 5 August, the journalist was sentenced to two months of pre-extradition detention by the decision of Judge Ketevan Jachvadze of the Tbilisi City Court.

On 17 July, Afgan Sadygov and his family were denied permission to leave Tbilisi’s international airport for Türkiye. He was told by Georgian border control officials that he could only fly to Azerbaijan.