11:24, 10 October 2020

Journalist Afghan Mukhtarly accuses Georgia of hampering his visit to Tbilisi

Afghan Mukhtarly. Photo from his personal page on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=1490670140965192&set=pb.100000666619845.-2207520000.1499500952.&type=3&theater

Under a far-fetched pretext, airline employees prevented the Azerbaijani journalist, Afghan Mukhtarly, from flying from Berlin to Tbilisi. Mukhtarly believes that Georgian authorities are afraid of exposing the circumstances of his kidnapping.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that Mukhtarly was released from prison in Azerbaijan on March 17 and went to Germany, where his relatives live. He stated that he would not abandon the profession of a journalist. In fact, Mukhtarly was expelled from the country, said Emin Guseinov, Director of the Institute for Reporters' Freedom and Safety (IRFS).

In May 2017, Mukhtarly, who had emigrated to Georgia, was kidnapped and forcibly taken to Baku. In January 2018, he was sentenced to six years in prison on charges of illegal border crossing, smuggling, and resistance to a state servant.

On October 9, Afghan Mukhtarly was not allowed to board the plane in Berlin, Archil Chopikashvili, his advocate and an activist of the NGO "Legal Georgia", has stated, adding that Mukhtarly has a permanent residence permit in Germany.

According to Mr Chopikashvili, Mukhtarly was going to testify at the Georgian Prosecutor's Office about his kidnapping in May 2017. A criminal case was opened in Georgia, but not a single suspect has been identified in three years, the advocate has explained.

This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on October 9, 2020 at 09:52 pm MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.

Author: Beslan Kmuzov

Source: CK correspondent