Azerbaijani journalist faces danger after Georgia deportation

Human Rights Research Center
4 hours ago
3 min read

April 16, 2026

HRRC strongly condemns the deportation of human rights journalist Afgan Sadigov to Azerbaijan, who has been living in Georgia since 2023 due to a crackdown on independent media within Azerbaijan. His extradition puts him in a situation where his work and his safety are at risk.

Afgan Sadigov protesting at the trial of Georgian journalist Mzia Amaghlobeli in May 2025. [Image credit: Mariam Nikuradze/OC Media]

Afgan Sadigov, the Azerbaijani journalist who had been living in Georgia since 2023, has been deported without assessment by Georgian authorities. His forced return to Azerbaijan on April 5 has been condemned as a violation of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) by several media freedom organisations, which have called on the international community to speak out against these unjust actions.

The nature of Sadigov’s deportation on April 5 has raised concerns due to the fact that the entire process, from arrest to deportation, took only a number of hours. Sadigov was originally arrested at approximately 10:00 pm for allegedly insulting a police officer. He was then brought before Tbilisi City Court, and by 4:00 am his extradition had been approved, along with an order not to re-enter Georgia for three years. The speed of Sadigov’s deportation is in contrast to regular deportations which commonly take weeks or even months.

Azerbaijan has demanded Sadigov’s repatriation for almost two years. He is accused of extortion, in relation to publishing incriminating stories about certain individuals unless he is given financial compensation. However, human rights experts believe these are politically motivated accusations being used in response to Sadigov’s reporting, which is often critical of the current regime.

As the founder of the popular YouTube channel Azel.tv, Sadigov has been instrumental in bringing issues such as corruption and social injustice into the public eye. This often involves exposing potentially corrupt officials. He spent three years in prison between 2020 and 2023 on the aforementioned trumped-up extortion charges. After his release, he left for Georgia amid a further crackdown on independent media in Azerbaijan.

Incidentally, Sadigov’s arrest occurred on the eve of a visit to Georgia by the president of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, and experts believe this is likely the true motivation behind his deportation. Economically, Georgia relies heavily on Azerbaijan, and many have seen the Georgian government’s removal of Sadigov as a political gesture of goodwill to help improve relations between the two countries.

The future for Sadigov and for his life in Azerbaijan is not positive; there have been reports that he has already been denied an ID card. Therefore, pressure must immediately be placed on the governments of both Azerbaijan and Georgia to help protect Afgan Sadigov and ensure he is permitted to report independently on human rights issues that affect many individuals in his country.

Glossary

Corruption – Dishonest or illegal behaviour by people in power, often involving money or personal gain.
Crackdown – A series of strong actions by authorities to stop or control something, often suddenly.
Deportation – The act of forcing someone to leave a country and return to another.
Extortion – The crime of getting money or something else by threatening harm or exposure.
Extradition – The process of sending someone to another country where they are accused or convicted of a crime.
Financial compensation – Money given to someone to make up for loss, damage, or services.
Forced return – When someone is made to go back to a country against their will.
Goodwill – Friendly or helpful feelings or actions between people or countries.
Incriminating – Showing or suggesting that someone is guilty of a crime.
Instrumental – Very important or helpful in achieving something.
Political gesture – An action taken mainly to send a political message rather than for practical reasons.
Politically motivated – Driven by politics rather than fairness or ordinary rules
Social injustice – Unfair treatment of people in society, often based on inequality.
Unjust – Not fair or morally right.
Violation – An action that breaks a law, rule, or agreement.
Without assessment – Without properly reviewing or evaluating his situation before making the decision

Sources

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Azerbaijani journalist faces danger after Georgia deportation

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