**European Court Stays Afgan Sadygov’s Extradition**
The European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) has blocked the extradition of Azerbaijani journalist Afgan Sadygov to Azerbaijan. This means that Georgia, where he is currently being held, cannot send him back to his home country until the court makes a final decision.
Sadygov had been on hunger strike for 161 days before learning about the court’s decision. He ended his protest after hearing the news. The Social Justice Center, which represents Sadygov, plans to ask for his release from extradition custody because it does not make sense to hold him if he is not going to be extradited.
**Background**
Afgan Sadygov has been living in Georgia since December 2023. He was arrested in Azerbaijan in 2020 and sentenced to seven years in prison, but later released after a hunger strike. In August last year, he was arrested again in Georgia while trying to leave the country for Turkey.
International human rights organizations, including Amnesty International and OSCE, have called on Georgia not to extradite Sadygov to Azerbaijan. The Tbilisi City Court had already ordered his extradition, but the ECtHR put a temporary stop to it.
**What’s Next**
The Social Justice Center will continue to fight for Sadygov’s rights. A final decision from the ECtHR could take years. For now, Sadygov is safe and not being extradited to Azerbaijan.
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