Azerbaijani opposition journalist Afgan Sadygov has stated that he has been banned from leaving Azerbaijan. According to him, border control officers at Baku International Airport informed him of a travel ban imposed by the Prosecutor General’s Office and the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Azerbaijan.
The journalist pointed out that he is not currently under investigation and no criminal case has been opened against him.
Sadygov sharply criticized the Azerbaijani authorities, accusing them of political repression, violating the constitution, and breaching international law. He also pointed to a ruling by the European Court of Human Rights, claiming that the authorities of Azerbaijan and Georgia had, in his view, violated it by sending him to Azerbaijan.
“Attention! I have been placed under a travel ban. At customs, I was informed that this ban was imposed by the Prosecutor General’s Office and the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the republic. Right now, I am at Baku International Airport. I was not allowed to leave Azerbaijan. There is no violation of the law, no investigation, and no criminal case against me.
And then they say that Afgan Sadygov criticizes this government—of bandits, tyrants, murderers, and corrupt officials. What else can one do but criticize a government made up of such uneducated officials who oppress the people and ruthlessly punish them, who represent a mafia, maniacs, lawlessness, fraudsters, and looters of the state budget, whose hands are covered in blood from their fingertips to their shoulders, and who carry out contract-style political repression and assassinations?!
The government of Azerbaijan is trampling on the constitution.
If the governments of Azerbaijan and Georgia, disregarding international law and norms, have jointly, grossly, and flagrantly violated the ruling of the European Court of Human Rights and sent me to Azerbaijan, then any kind of crime and danger can be expected from them! Down with the dictatorship! Stop the repression! Freedom to all political prisoners!” writes Sadygov.
