A court in Azerbaijan has ordered the detention of journalist Afgan Sadygov after reopening a criminal case that Azerbaijani authorities had officially closed just two months earlier. Sadygov — who was forcibly deported from Georgia in April despite legal concerns raised by the European Court of Human Rights — says the case is politically motivated and linked to his journalism.
The Binagadi District Court in Azerbaijan has ordered the detention of journalist Afgan Sadygov until July 30 after reopening criminal proceedings against him.
According to Sadygov’s lawyer, the court overturned a previous decision by Azerbaijan’s Prosecutor General’s Office to close the case and ruled that the investigation should continue.
“The Prosecutor General’s Office had terminated the criminal case opened against Afgan Sadygov in 2024. However, individuals recognized as victims challenged that decision in court. The Binagadi District Court upheld their complaint, annulled the prosecutor’s final decision, and ordered the case to be reopened,” the lawyer said.
The criminal case against Sadygov was originally launched in 2024 under Article 182 of Azerbaijan’s Criminal Code, which concerns extortion through threats.
Prosecutors allege that Sadygov attempted to obtain money through blackmail from local officials in Azerbaijan’s Neftchala district, including the executive representative of Kurkand village, Fatulla Muradov, and the mayor of Khazarkand village.
Sadygov denies the accusations and maintains that the case is retaliation for his journalistic work.
Afgan Sadygov, founder of the online broadcaster Azel TV, was arrested in Georgia on 4 August 2024 following a request from Azerbaijan’s Prosecutor General’s Office. Tbilisi City Court approved his detention and extradition to Azerbaijan.
However, the European Court of Human Rights blocked his extradition due to ongoing criminal case against him in Azerbaijan.
In April 2025, Sadygov was released.
On 1 April 2026, Azerbaijan’s Prosecutor General’s Office officially terminated the criminal proceedings against him.
Two days later, Tbilisi City Court lifted restrictions preventing Sadygov from leaving Georgia.
However, on the night of 4 April 2026, Sadygov was forcibly removed from his home in Tbilisi and expelled to Azerbaijan after late night court hearing. Georgian authorities claimed that ECHR’s interim measure was no more applied as criminal investigation against Sadygov was terminated in Azerbaijan.
The European Court of Human Rights later issued a special statement raising concerns about serious violations of legal obligations by the Georgian authorities.
After his deportation, Sadygov warned that returning government critics are often not detained immediately.
“The Azerbaijani authorities do not immediately arrest opponents who return to the country — they do it later,” Sadygov said.
Commenting on the latest development, lawyer Tamta Mikeladze argued that the renewed detention reinforces concerns that the case is politically motivated.
“Sixty-five days after being deported to Azerbaijan, he has been detained again under the same case and on the same grounds. This strongly suggests that the entire process was pre-planned, coordinated and fabricated.”
Mikeladze noted that Azerbaijani authorities had previously argued that the investigation had been terminated and that extradition was no longer legally justified.
She said the case now extends beyond one journalist and has become a broader test of whether international human rights mechanisms can effectively respond to cases of alleged cross-border political persecution and coordinated state action.
International human rights and press freedom organisations have repeatedly condemned both Sadygov’s detention in Georgia and his transfer to Azerbaijan.
