Afgan Sadigov’s health condition has significantly deteriorated
3 October, 2024
Considering the heightened public interest “Rights Georgia” is reporting that the health condition of detained Azerbaijani journalist Afgan Sadigov has significantly deteriorated due to his ongoing hunger strike.
Lawyers of “Rights Georgia” met with him in the N8 penitentiary establishment of the Special Penitentiary Service on 2 and 3 October. According to the lawyer’s assessment, Sadigov’s health is visibly deteriorated, as he has difficulties moving, talking, and concentrating.
“Rights Georgia” already applied to the penitentiary establishment to transfer him to the appropriate medical establishment to prevent the further deterioration of his health. The Public Defender is informed of Afgan Sadigov’s health condition.
Afgan Sadigov started his hunger strike on September 21 after receiving the decision from the Migration Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs on his request for international protection (asylum).
Case details of Afgan Sadigov
Azerbaijani journalist Afgan Sadigov has been residing in Georgia since December 24, 2023, and possesses a residency permit issued by the Ministry of Justice of Georgia.
Afgan Sadigov attempted to leave Georgia for Turkey with his family on July 18. However, the Border Police allowed his wife and children to cross the border, while Afgan Sadigov was allowed to return only to Azerbaijan. The grounds for such action from the Border police were not explained despite the Georgian authorities already possessing information regarding the charges against him and the search initiated in Azerbaijan. Sadigov himself was unaware of it.
“Rights Georgia” became involved in Afgan Sadigov’s case on July 18, 2024. According to the information from the Prosecution, the criminal case against Afgan Sadigov was initiated on May 9, 2024, in Azerbaijan. On May 13, the Azerbaijani side requested his extradition from the Prosecutor General’s Office and the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia.
It is noteworthy that Afgan Sadigov, along with the lawyer from Rights Georgia, met with the Ombudsperson on August 2 to discuss the refusal to leave for Turkey. The Ministry of Internal Affairs did not disclose the grounds for refusing Afgan Sadigov’s ability to cross the Georgian border to the Ombudsperson’s Office, nor did it share information on criminal charges against him or place him under search by Azerbaijan.
Azerbaijani journalist Afgan Sadigov was arrested in Tbilisi on August 3 by the representatives of the Central Criminal Police and has been in the N8 penitentiary establishment since then. His arrest was witnessed by his family members – his wife and minor daughters. He was informed of the charges against him and declared a wanted person by Azerbaijan only after his arrest.
According to the information from the investigation, Afgan Sadigov’s arrest was made based on a request from Azerbaijan. He is charged with crimes under Articles 188.2.2 and 182.2.4 of the Criminal Code of Azerbaijan, which pertain to “extortion to acquire a large amount of property from an unknown person by the repeated threat of disseminating insulting information”.
On August 4, a three-month extradition detention was ordered for Afgan Sadigov by Tbilisi City Court as a measure of restrain. Lawyers from “Rights Georgia” appealed the decision requesting the annulment of the extradition detention and proposing a bail of 2,000 GEL as an alternative measure. In parallel, Afgan Sadigov and his lawyers submitted a request to the Migration Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs for international protection in Georgia.
on August 13, the Investigative Chamber of the Tbilisi Court of Appeals found the appeal against the extradition detention inadmissible, fully upholding the decision by the first instance court. “Rights Georgia” considers the Court of Appeals’ decision to be unlawful and unreasoned.
