Azerbaijani journalist Mukhtarli, abducted from Georgia in 2017, to hold press conference in Tbilisi

Azerbaijani investigative journalist Afgan Mukhtarli, who was abducted from Tbilisi in May 2017 and appeared in custody in Baku the same day, is scheduled to hold a press conference in Tbilisi later today following the allegations of the currently imprisoned farmer security official, Soso Gogashvili, that the founder of the ruling Georgian Dream party, Bidzina Ivanishvili, and the current government facilitated the journalist’s abduction. 

In his previous statements, Mukhtarli also accused the current Georgian authorities of his abduction and handing to Baku, where he was disliked by the domestic government for his articles. 

The journalist was tried on charges of illegal border crossing, smuggling in a large amount of foreign currency and resisting law enforcement officers following his abduction.

In March 2020, the Azerbaijani authorities released Mukhtarli from prison and allowed him to travel to Germany.