Afgan Sadygov, an Azerbaijani opposition journalist who was deported to his homeland by Georgian authorities a day before the arrival of Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev in Georgia, writes that Bidzina Ivanishvili — the “gangster leader” of the Georgian Dream party, its founder and honorary chairman — is a “murderer,” a “corrupt official,” and a “slave of the Kremlin and Putin.”
According to Sadygov, Ivanishvili has struck a blow to Georgia’s state image — “he sacrificed the present and future of the people for his personal interests.”
The deported journalist writes that he regrets not being able to see the struggle against dictatorship through to the end alongside the Georgian people, but vows he will always stand with them.
“Imprisonment, repression, and mysterious murders can happen at any moment to anyone in the arena of political struggle,” he indicated.
“My whole heart, my thoughts, and my soul remain in my dear Georgia — with the people, in front of the parliament building, and alongside our comrades-in-arms. I express my boundless gratitude to the grateful Georgian people, all my associates, friends from the square, and everyone who supported me.
Ivanishvili — a murderer, a corrupt official, a slave of the Kremlin and Putin, a traitor to his country — has dealt a massive blow to the image of the Georgian state by deporting me from Georgia in violation of international law and the ruling of the European Court.
With this step, he sacrificed the present and future of the people for his personal interests.
The State Security Service of Georgia (SSSG) stated that ‘Afgan Sadygov’s presence in Georgia represents a very serious threat to the Georgian state.’
It is a pity that I could not stay in Georgia and see the ‘struggle against dictatorship’ through to the end. But I believe that the courageous, struggling, and freedom-loving Georgian people will act with determination and perseverance, forever removing the criminal gang called ‘Georgian Dream’ and its gangster leader Bidzina Ivanishvili from the political arena.
I will support the dear Georgian people and my comrades until the very end!
It is unclear what will happen after some time and what tragedies will befall us. Imprisonment, repression, and mysterious murders can happen at any moment to anyone in the arena of political struggle.
Down with dictatorship!!! Freedom to all political prisoners!!!” writes Afgan Sadygov.
As a reminder, Afgan Sadygov is the editor-in-chief of the Azel.Tv media outlet, who has lived in Georgia since December 24, 2023. In mid-July, Sadygov was not allowed to leave Tbilisi for Ankara. At the time, the journalist explained that he was told he could only fly to Azerbaijan. Sadygov also reported that he faced arrest there.
The journalist was pardoned in May 2023 but left Azerbaijan after continuing to face threats and harassment from the authorities. In July of this year, Georgian authorities banned him from traveling to Turkey and informed him he could only leave for Azerbaijan, where a new criminal case had been opened against him on charges of threats and extortion. His family insists the charges are fabricated by the Azerbaijani government in retaliation for his critical journalism.
On August 4, 2024, the Tbilisi City Court sentenced Azerbaijani opposition journalist Afgan Sadygov to extradition detention. The Court of Appeals did not consider the petition to overturn the extradition detention of the Azerbaijani opposition journalist.
In November of last year, the Tbilisi City Court decided to extradite journalist Afgan Sadygov to Azerbaijan. The Prosecutor General’s Office of Georgia demanded his handover to Baku, a move categorically opposed by the detainee and his lawyer.
On February 2, 2025, the journalist declared a dry hunger strike — he did not consume water.
The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) issued an interim ruling on January 14, 2025, prohibiting the extradition of Azerbaijani journalist Afgan Sadygov from Georgia to Azerbaijan. The measure was to remain in effect for 7 days.
On January 15, 2025, Tbilisi Court of Appeals judge David Akhalbedashvili rejected Afgan Sadygov’s appeal against the refusal to grant him refugee or humanitarian status in Georgia.
On April 16, 2025, journalist Afgan Sadygov was released on bail after nine months of detention in a Georgian prison.
Late in the evening on April 4, 2026, the Azerbaijani journalist was detained at his home in Tbilisi by police officers. On April 5, he was deported to his homeland, Azerbaijan.