Prepared by Messenger Staff
Journalist Afgan Sadygov's Health Deteriorates Amid Ongoing Hunger Strike and Risk of Extradition
The Social Justice Center (SJC) raised alarms over the deteriorating health of Afghan Sadygov, an Azerbaijani journalist on a hunger strike for 142 days. Sadygov is at risk of being extradited from Georgia to Azerbaijan, a move that follows a ruling by the Tbilisi City Court on January 31 to extend his pretrial detention. This decision came despite an interim measure by the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) on January 14, which prohibited his transfer.
Sadygov escalated his protest on February 2 by declaring an absolute hunger strike after months of refusing food. By February 5, his condition worsened, and he lost consciousness for several hours before being stabilized with medical intervention. As of now, he remains in a critical state, weighing 56 kilograms - a loss of over 40 kilograms since his detention. His health is at serious risk, with the SJC warning that further damage could be irreversible.
The SJC confirmed that, upon family and legal advice, Sadygov agreed to receive water, though he remains on hunger strike. The organization vowed to continue monitoring his condition and provide updates on the case's progress at the ECtHR.
Khazaradze Urges Gakharia's Party to Renounce Mandates, Calls for Internal Isolation of GD
Mamuka Khazaradze, leader of the opposition coalition Strong Georgia, has called on Giorgi Gakharia's party, Gakharia for Georgia, to officially renounce its parliamentary mandates. He argued that just as the international community has isolated the "illegitimate" Georgian Dream (GD) government, the opposition must do the same internally, leaving GD without room to maneuver legally.
At a press briefing on February 7, Khazaradze stated that remaining in parliament means aiding Bidzina Ivanishvili's "Russian government" and undermining efforts to challenge its legitimacy. He pointed to the February 5 decision by GD's parliament to revoke opposition mandates, effectively reducing the legislative body to 89 active MPs. This, he argued, prevents it from making key constitutional decisions requiring higher vote thresholds.
Although Gakharia for Georgia has declared the GD-led parliament illegitimate and abstained from participation, it has yet to formally relinquish its 12 mandates. Khazaradze stressed that by retaining these seats, the party is facilitating the "covert legalization and promotion" of GD's rule. He urged them to take decisive action, aligning with other opposition forces that have fully withdrawn from the legislature.
