Azerbaijani journalist Mukhtarli who vanished from Tbilisi in 2017 arrives in Georgia to testify

Azerbaijani journalist Afghan Mukhtarli, who vanished from the Georgian capital of Tbilisi on May 29, 2017 and resurfaced in custody in Baku the next day, has arrived in Georgia earlier today to testify to the country’s Prosecutor’s Office about his disappearance. 

Mukhtakri claims that he was abducted from Tbilisi by Azerbaijani law enforcers with the help of their Georgian colleagues because of his investigative articles about Azerbaijani top figures, including President Ilham Aliyev and his family. 

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He is scheduled to hold a press conference at the Tbilisi Human Rights House at 11 a.m. tomorrow and after testify to the country’s Prosecutor’s Office. 

Mukhtarli had plans to arrive in Georgia in October 2020. However, he was refused to board his flight from Germany to Tbilisi due to coronavirus restrictions. 

The Georgian Prosecutor’s Office has not found out yet who abducted Mukhtarli and why from Tbilisi where he was living with his wife and a daughter since 2015 amid fears for their safety. 

• Since 2017 Georgia has been investigating the case as an alleged ‘unlawful imprisonment’  of the journalist. 
• In Baku Mukhtarli was charged with illegally crossing the border and smuggling in money following the abduction and was sentenced to six years in prison. 
• However, following the international pressure, he was released in March 2020. 
• Currently Mukhtarli lives in Germany with his family.