The Institute for Reporters’ Freedom and Safety (IRFS), Azerbaijan’s human rights and information watchdog, on Friday condemned a Georgian court’s decision to extradite journalist Afgan Sadigov to Azerbaijan, calling it a violation of international human rights obligations.
The Tbilisi City Court ruled Thursday that Sadigov be extradited to Azerbaijan, where he faces charges of extortion, according to a statement from Georgia’s Office of the Prosecutor General. Sadigov, editor-in-chief of Azel TV, an independent YouTube channel, has denied the allegations and claims he fled Azerbaijan to escape political persecution.
IRFS said the decision endangers Sadigov’s life and “enables political persecution.” The group criticized Georgia for “failing to uphold its human rights commitments” and for allowing its legal system to be used to silence dissenting voices.
Under Georgian law, Sadigov’s legal team has seven days to appeal the ruling. If the decision is upheld, he will be extradited to Azerbaijan.
Sadigov fled Azerbaijan with his family in December 2023, following a crackdown on independent media and activists. The campaign led to the detention of journalists from outlets like Abzas Media and Toplum TV, as well as numerous political activists, many of whom remain imprisoned.
In July, Sadigov attempted to cross into Turkey from Georgia but was stopped by border officials and told he could only return to Azerbaijan. He was arrested in August and has been on a hunger strike at a Tbilisi detention center since late September.
Sevinj Sadigova, his wife, denounced the extradition order in a video posted on Azel TV. “The judge, acting under [Azerbaijan President] Ilham Aliyev’s orders, dismissed the evidence we provided,” she said.
The OSCE’s Representative on Freedom of the Media, Teresa Ribeiro, had previously urged Georgian authorities to carefully review Sadigov’s case before making a decision on extradition.
Sadigov was convicted in Azerbaijan in 2020 on extortion charges and sentenced to seven years in prison. His sentence was later reduced to six years, and he was released in 2022 following a presidential pardon.
