Azerbaijani journalist goes on hunger strike in SIZO

Azerbaijan has completed a preliminary inquiry into the criminal case opened against Afghan Sadygov, the head of the "Azel.tv" website. He has gone on a hunger strike, insisting on his innocence, his wife has stated.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that Afghan's wife said that on May 13 he was detained, and their apartment was searched. On May 14, the General Prosecutor's Office (GPO) of Azerbaijan reported that Sadygov was charged with extortion and was arrested for four months. His wife believes that he is being persecuted for his journalism and posts in social networks; he himself has treated the accusations as slander.

On July 10, in the presence of the advocate, Elchin Sadygov, Emin Aliev, an investigator at the Anti-Corruption Main Department under the Azerbaijani GPO, announced in Baku SIZO-1 (pre-trial prison) that the preliminary inquiry had been completed, and the case files had been sent to the court. Investigators are accusing Afghan Sadygov under Articles 182.2.1 (extortion by a group of persons by a prior conspiracy) and 182.2.4 (with the aim of taking possession of a significant amount of property) of the Azerbaijani Criminal Code. He faces from 5 to 10 years in prison, his wife, Sevindj Sadygova, told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.

According to her story, in the morning on July 11, Afghan Sadygov called from the SIZO. "Afghan said that he went on a hunger strike in protest against the falsification of his criminal case and until justice is restored and the fabricated case is closed," Ms Sadygova has noted.

This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on July 11, 2020 at 06:05 pm MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.