Georgian sailor detained in Libya released
Tweet 
Share
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia reported today that one of three Georgian soldiers detained in Libya in August of last year has been released and returned to his family in Georgia’s coastal Adjara region yesterday.
The ministry reported that the investigation could find no evidence against the individual regarding the illegal load the ship crew was originally detained for.
The soldier, Nukri Khokhba has been released. The case of the Georgian captain of the ship and his Georgian assistant has been handed to the prosecution chamber of Libya for further investigation,” the Ministry stated.
The Georgian Foreign Minister Mikheil Janelidze said that the release of the sailor came after all necessary measures had been taken by the government of Georgia.
We are doing our utmost to achieve the release of the remaining sailors. We are using all our resources for this. I personally spoke with my Lybian colleague over the issues,” Janelidze said.
The three Georgian sailors were among 11 crew members of a Turkish ship sailing under the Tanzanian flag who were detained in Libya on August 30, 2017.
Head of Georgia’s Sea Transport Agency of the Ministry of Economy of Georgia, Mamuka Akhaladze, says that three Georgian sailors, a captain among them, have been detained in Lybia.
Georgian sailor Soslan Kakabadze, who spent three years in custody in Libya, has returned to Georgia due to the efforts of the Georgian government and the Hungarian Embassy in Libya.
Georgia marked International Saildor Day in the country’s coastal city of Batumi today. Georgian Prime Minister Mamuka Bakhtadze stated that being a sailor is one of the bravest professions in the world.He stated that the country’s sea transport needs to be further developed and steps should be taken for producing internationally-qualified sailing staff.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia advised citizens against going to Libya earlier today.
Two Georgian sailors who were detained in Lybia in 2017 for illegally crossing the border and smuggling contraband fuel have been released, states the Georgian Foreign Ministry spokesman Vladimer Konstantinidi.