The Social Justice Center assesses the health condition of Azerbaijani journalist Afgan Sadigov and aims to provide the public with updated information regarding new trends in the violation of his rights.

On February 2, 2025, Afgan Sadigov declared a full hunger strike, refusing to take electrolytes and water, which are critically important for his health. As of today, he weighs 56 kilograms (having lost 30 kilograms since his detention), and according to the assessment of doctors at the penitentiary facility, the potential harm to his health may be irreversible.

As the public is aware, Afgan Sadigov has been on hunger strike for 136 days at the N18 Medical Facility for Defendants and Convicts in Tbilisi, and his health condition is extremely concerning.

He initially declared his hunger strike on September 21, 2024, in protest against the unjust treatment and decisions imposed upon him by two authoritarian regimes. On the 17th day of his hunger strike, due to the deterioration of his health, he was transferred to the N18 Medical Facility for Accused and Convicted Persons, where he remains to this day.

Throughout this period, he has maintained a total hunger strike, meaning that he only drinks water and, in extreme cases, takes special supplements and electrolytes with his consent when his condition deteriorates.

Afgan Sadigov's health is further complicated by the fact that he was previously on hunger strike for 242 days after being arrested in Azerbaijan for the second time in 2020 on extortion charges and sentenced to seven years in prison.

His decision to go on full hunger strike on 2 February was prompted by the decision of the Tbilisi City Court on 31 January 2025, in which Judge Lela Maridashvili upheld the prosecution's unfounded request to extend his extradition detention until 3 May. The prosecution did not provide any concrete, real evidence to justify the risk of his absconding.

The court also failed to take into account the ruling of the European Court of Human Rights on interim measure, which prohibited Afgan Sadigov's extradition to Azerbaijan until 4 March 2024, and promised to make a substantive decision on the continuation of the interim measure at that time.

Another reason for Afgan Sadigov's frustration and hunger strike is the issue of access to Azerbaijani literature. In January this year, he expressed his wish to read a book in Azerbaijani while in prison. In response, his lawyers formally requested permission from the director of the N18 medical facility to provide him with an Azerbaijani translation of a Georgian literary work. However, this request was refused. Representatives of the facility verbally stated that, apart from Georgian, only literature in Russian and English was allowed.

Such rules are not included in the official regulations of the prison. Given that ethnic minorities make up 13.2% of Georgia's total population, many of whom speak, read and write primarily in their mother tongue, it is alarming that Azerbaijani literature is not allowed in prisons. This is particularly worrying given that prisons house not only ethnic minorities from Georgia, but also foreign nationals who do not speak Georgian, Russian or English. This discriminatory approach by the state places defendants/convicts in an unequal position and arbitrarily restricts their rights without any justification.

The Social Justice Center will appeal to a higher instance against the blanket denial of Azerbaijani literature to Afgan Sadigov.

The Social Justice Center continues to advocate for Afgan Sadigov’s interests and will provide periodic updates on the case to the public.

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