The Tbilisi City Court in Georgia extended the detention of Afqan Sadiqov, an Azerbaijani journalist critical of President Ilham Aliyev who is charged with extortion and threats, for an additional three months. Judge Arsen Kalatozishvili announced the decision on November 1 despite Sadiqov’s request to be released on bail or under supervision, which was denied. Sadiqov, who has been on hunger strike for 42 days, appeared in court in a wheelchair due to health concerns. "I have never committed a crime; I simply criticized Aliyev and exposed his wrongdoings," Sadiqov said at the hearing. Sadiqov was detained on August 3 while attempting to leave Georgia, where he had sought refuge since December 2023. Sadiqov and his supporters claim the charges are politically motivated. His wife, Sevinc, and rights groups fear for his safety if he's extradited to Azerbaijan, where he has been arrested multiple times due to his journalistic work. To read the original story by RFE/RL’s Georgian Service, click here.
