The situation surrounding Afghan Sadygov

On October 16, a complaint was filed with the Tbilisi City Court against the decision of the Georgian Ministry of Internal Affairs' Migration Department to deny political asylum to Afghan Sadygov, the founder of the Azel TV website, his lawyer, Keti Chutlashvili told Turan.

The Migration Department concluded that there is an ongoing criminal investigation against Sadygov in Azerbaijan; however, they stated that this does not constitute "politically motivated persecution," according to the lawyer.

"Furthermore, the department believes that Afghan Sadygov will not face discriminatory prosecution or disproportionate punishment in Azerbaijan. However, this conclusion directly contradicts the factual circumstances of the case, which demonstrate that Sadygov has faced criminal and administrative persecution in Azerbaijan for many years due to his professional activities. If Sadygov is extradited to Azerbaijan, he is at risk of facing political persecution, torture, or inhumane treatment," noted lawyer Keti Chutlashvili.

She expressed regret that the Migration Department did not conduct a proper investigation into the factual circumstances presented by Afghan Sadygov. In particular, they failed to consider statements from international governmental and non-governmental organizations, including the U.S. State Department, the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and organizations like Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, which recognized Sadygov as a "political prisoner" and called for his immediate release.

The defense argues that the claim that there are no widespread human rights violations in Azerbaijan is completely unfounded.

*Afghan Sadygov arrived in Georgia with his family in December 2023, fearing persecution. In July, he was not allowed to leave Georgia for Turkey, being told he could only return to Azerbaijan. In August, at the request of Azerbaijani authorities, Sadygov was detained. He is accused of extortion in Baku, and extradition is being sought. Since September 21, he has been on a hunger strike to protest his arrest and the denial of asylum. On October 8, his health deteriorated due to the hunger strike, and he was transferred to a prison hospital.