Expelled Azerbaijani Journalist Sadigov Says He Wanted to Stay in Georgia and 'Fight to the End'
By Messenger Staff
Monday, April 20, 2026
Afgan Sadigov said he regrets being forced to leave Georgia, saying he had planned to stay and continue "the struggle against dictatorship."
In a social media post, Sadigov wrote that he remained emotionally tied to the country. "All my heart, my thoughts, and my soul remained in Georgia, with people in front of the parliament and in the fight alongside our friends," he said, thanking Georgians and supporters for their backing.
He harshly criticized Bidzina Ivanishvili, founder of the ruling Georgian Dream party, accusing him of harming the country's reputation. "Ivanishvili. dealt a huge blow to the image of the Georgian state by expelling me," Sadigov wrote, claiming the move violated international law and a European Court decision.
Sadigov also referred to the official justification for his removal, saying authorities described his presence as "a very serious threat to the Georgian state."
"It is a pity that I was not able to stay in Georgia and continue the struggle to the end," he wrote, adding that he believes "the brave, fighting and freedom-loving Georgian people" will remain determined.
He warned that "imprisonment, repression, and secret murders can happen to anyone at any time" and ended his statement with, "Down with dictatorship. Freedom to all political prisoners."
Sadigov was detained on April 5 by the Interior Ministry, which said he had insulted a police officer on social media. He was fined 2,000 GEL, expelled the same day, and banned from entering Georgia for three years.
