Asadov blames Georgia's MFA for inaction

Mirtagi Asadov, the head of the Supreme Spiritual Administration (SAM) of Muslims, released by the court from custody in Baku, has returned to Georgia. He said that the Georgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) failed to react to his detention in Azerbaijan.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on November 29, the Baku Court of Appeal (BCA) decided to release Mirtagi Asadov, the head of the Supreme SAM of Georgia, detained in Azerbaijan, from custody. The international resonance of his case contributed to his release, Khalid Agaliev, a law expert, believes.

According to his wife, Shakhany Gadjieva, Mirtagi Asadov, a Georgian citizen, was detained on November 7, while crossing the Georgian-Azerbaijani border, and brought to Baku. The next day, the court arrested him for 30 days on charges of disobeying the lawful demands of the police and petty hooliganism. The law enforcers' protocol states that Mirtagi Asadov was detained on November 8 after loudly scolding in the street, while talking on the phone, and did not obey the lawful policemen's demands.

On December 3, after his returning from Azerbaijan, Mirtagi Asadov appeared on air of the "Rustavi-2" TV Channel and blamed the Georgia's MFA for not reacting to his arrest in Azerbaijan.

However, the MFA has rejected his accusations.

After Asadov's arrest, the MFA actively participated in his release, Vladimir Konstantinidi, the official spokesman of the MFA, said on the air.

This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on December 5, 2018 at 07:54 am MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.