Wife of Azerbaijani journalist Sadigov says he was detained by police

Sevinch Sadigova, wife of Azerbaijani journalist Afghan Sadigov, has said on social media that her husband was detained by police, describing the action as “apparently politically motivated.”

“According to information I just received, my husband Afghan Sadigov has been detained by the police. Yesterday his deportation from Georgia to Azerbaijan seems to have been carried out on a politically motivated order,” Sadigova wrote.

The Georgian Ministry of Internal Affairs detained Sadigov on 4 April under administrative procedures. The Tbilisi City Court found him in violation of Article 173 of the Administrative Offences Code, relating to insulting a police officer on social media. He was fined 2,000 GEL, banned from returning to Georgia for three years, and, as reported, is currently in Baku with relatives.