16:42, 2 July 2021

Court reduces journalist Afghan Sadygov’s prison term

Afghan Sadygov, a journalist. Screenshot of the video by "azel tv" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yNwWuK1CoIQ

The Azerbaijani Supreme Court (SC) has partially satisfied the complaint lodged by journalist Afghan Sadygov by reducing his prison term from six to four years. The journalist's wife called this decision a "death sentence" to her husband.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on November 3, 2020, Afghan Sadygov, the editor-in-chief of the “Azel.tv” portal, was sentenced to seven years in prison within an extortion case. He went on a hunger strike in protest and continues it since November 3, 2020. On January 28, 2021, the Court of Appeal (CoA) reduced Sadygov's prison term to six years. On June 19, his wife Sevindj Sadygova announced her husband's grave health condition. She also announced her intent to apply for political asylum abroad.

Zibeida Sadygova, an advocate, said that the defence would seek the restoration of the journalist's rights at the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR).

"This is an unfair decision, a political order. Afghan is doomed to death. They know that he basically rejects food in protest against injustice; however, the continue keeping him in jail," Sevindj Sadygova has stated, adding that her husband refuses to eat for 240 days already.

This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on July 2, 2021 at 12:36 pm MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.

Author: Faik Medjid

Source: CK correspondent