The Georgian judiciary has disregarded a ruling by the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) on Azerbaijani journalist Afgan Sadigov, keeping him in extradition detention despite receiving an order to stop the process.
Keti Chutlashvili, a representative of the Social Justice Center, criticized the decision at a press conference, saying that on February 27, the ECHR ordered temporary measures to suspend Sadigov’s extradition. Still, Georgian courts dismissed them without a hearing and ruled the organization’s appeals for his release as inadmissible.
“The Tbilisi City Court, without holding a hearing, rejected our motion and ruled to keep Afqan Sadigov in custody. The judge stated that the European Court’s temporary measures do not provide grounds to alter the journalist’s extradition detention,” Chutlashvili said. She added that the appeal to a higher court was also dismissed without review.
The Social Justice Center maintains that the rulings contradict both Georgian law and international legal obligations, while Sadigov’s health has reportedly become stable after ending the hunger strike.
Sadigov was arrested in Georgia on August 3, facing charges of extortion linked to an ongoing investigation in Azerbaijan.
