Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev's visit to Tbilisi was accompanied by statements about a strategic partnership, but drew criticism from the opposition and human rights activists.

At a joint briefing with Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze following the meeting, the two sides discussed the development of bilateral relations, transport corridors, and the two countries' role as a link between Europe and Asia.

"Our countries, as a bridge between Asia and Europe, play a key role. In this context, we attach particular importance to the development and modernization of transport and logistics infrastructure. We, Georgia and Azerbaijan, have repeatedly proven that we are reliable and responsible partners, including in international energy and transport projects," the head of the Georgian government said.

Regional security and economic cooperation were also discussed. The Azerbaijani side expressed its readiness to expand investment and participate in new joint projects.

"The business environment gives us the opportunity to further increase investment—$3.6 billion has already been invested in the Georgian economy from our country. Today we discussed new opportunities, new investment projects both in Azerbaijan and Georgia, and we may consider joint investments in third countries. We discussed this—the scale, regional security, and the current situation," Ilham Aliyev told reporters.

Media representatives were not given the opportunity to ask questions. One of the main topics left off the official agenda was the fate of Azerbaijani opposition journalist Afgan Sadigov. Early in the morning, on the eve of Aliyev's arrival in Tbilisi, he was deported from Georgia to Azerbaijan by court order.
Human rights activists point out that this occurred despite the European Court of Human Rights' interim measure prohibiting his extradition to Baku due to security concerns. The Georgian authorities, for their part, claim they acted within the law, emphasizing that this was a deportation, not an extradition.

However, few doubt that the journalist was the price of political bargaining between the two countries' authorities.
Government critics believe that the difference in wording does not change the essence of the matter. They argue that such actions could be considered a violation of international obligations, as the individual was returned to a country where he could face persecution.

Sadigov's case is not the first such episode in relations between the two countries. Earlier, in 2017, Azerbaijani journalist Afgan Mukhtarli was removed from Tbilisi and returned to Azerbaijan, which also sparked an international reaction.

Opposition politicians in Georgia link the incident to the Azerbaijani leader's visit and view it as a manifestation of political loyalty on the part of the authorities. Representatives of the ruling party predictably deny these accusations, routinely calling them speculation.

President Aliyev's meeting with Bidzina Ivanishvili, founder of the ruling Georgian Dream party and, as he is known, the "de facto owner of Georgia," also attracted additional attention. The two sides discussed economic cooperation, including joint energy and transport projects, including the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway route.

Despite statements about a strong partnership and mutual support, Aliyev's visit to Tbilisi took place amid debates about the steps and concessions Tbilisi is willing to make in cooperation with Baku.

It was reported that on April 6, Azerbaijani opposition journalist Afgan Sadigov, who had been expelled from Georgia, was detained in Baku but released an hour after his arrival. He was informed that he was wanted, but after the criminal case was announced, he was released, with a warning of the possibility of further arrests. According to his colleague, Afgan Mukhtarli, police officials stated that the search had not been lifted.

However, there is no certainty that the journalist will not be detained again and suffer the same fate as hundreds of Azerbaijani political prisoners.

Sadigov, who lived in Georgia and participated in protests, was fined and deported from the country on April 5 with a three-year entry ban. The alleged reasons were insults to a police officer on social media and 62 previous administrative violations.

The journalist moved to Georgia with his family for medical treatment in December 2023 but remained due to repression in Azerbaijan. Sadigov also reported receiving threats in Georgia from "people from Azerbaijan." In May 2020, he was sentenced in Azerbaijan to seven years in prison on extortion charges. He was subsequently pardoned. Human rights activists claim the criminal case is fabricated.

In an interview with Sovanews, analyst Lasha Dzebisashvili suggested that the ruling party will attempt to use Aliyev's visit to re-establish contacts with Washington.
In his opinion, "Baku's position could play a key role for the Americans. Therefore, the main issues in the current negotiations will be resolved behind closed doors," the publication writes.