ECtHR Blocks Georgia From Extraditing Afgan Sadygov
The European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) today, on February 28, ordered Georgia not to extradite critical Azerbaijani journalist Afgan Sadygov until it issues a final ruling in the case, which could take years, Tamta Mikeladze of the Social Justice Center (SJC) said.
Sadygov, who had been on hunger strike for 161 days, ended his protest after learning of the court’s decision.
Mikeladze said the Social Justice Center would seek Sadygov’s release from extradition custody, arguing that it makes no legal sense to hold him if the extradition is blocked.
Sadygov has reportedly been living in Georgia since December 2023. Arrested in Azerbaijan in 2020 on extortion charges, he was sentenced to seven years in prison, later reduced to four years by Supreme Court. He was released under an amnesty after about two years, following a 242-day hunger strike in prison. In Georgia, he was arrested last August. Earlier, he was denied permission to leave Georgia for Turkey and was told at the Tbilisi airport that he could only go to Azerbaijan.
International human rights organizations, including Amnesty International and OSCE, called on Georgia not to extradite Sadygov to Azerbaijan. Last November, the Tbilisi City Court ordered Afgan Sadygov’s extradition to Azerbaijan. This was followed by the ECtHR interim measure preventing his extradition to Azerbaijan. Recent ECHR decision must keep critical journalist in Georgia.
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