U.S. Calls on Georgia to “Expeditiously” Release Critical Azerbaijani Journalist
On August 6, the United States State Department called on the Georgian authorities to release critical Azerbaijani journalist Afgan Sadigov, who was arrested in Tbilisi on August 3 and now faces extradition to Azerbaijan, according to DC Correspondent Alex Raufoglu.
“We are deeply troubled by reports of Afghan Sadygov being detained in Tbilisi. We urge Georgian authorities to respect human rights and fundamental freedoms and release him expeditiously,” a U.S. State Department spokesperson said.
The State Department Spokesperson added that the arrest occurs in the context of a continuing crackdown on and arrests of Azerbaijani civil society, and said U.S. urges the Azerbaijani government “to immediately release all individuals who are unjustly detained, to refrain from targeting civil society – including across borders – and to end efforts to undermine press freedom.”
Around couple of weeks before his detention in Georgia, Sadigov was denied permission to leave Tbilisi international airport for Turkey and was told by border control officials that he could only fly to Azerbaijan.
The journalist has been reportedly living in Georgia since last December. Sadigov was arrested in Azerbaijan in May 2020 on charges of extortion. He was later sentenced to seven years in prison, which was eventually reduced to four years by the Supreme Court. However, he was released by amnesty after about two years in prison. He went on hunger strike for 242 days in prison.
Also Read:
- 06/08/2024 – International Watchdogs Urge Georgian Government Against Extradition of Critical Azerbaijani Journalist
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