Another Azerbaijani activist detained in Georgia
By Gvantsa Gabekhadze
Wednesday, June 19
After Azerbaijani investigative journalist Afghan Mukhtali, who disappeared from Tbilisi in unclear circumstances in 2017, Azerbaijani human rights defender Avtandil Mamedov was detained by Georgian law enforcers on Monday as “he was charged in Azerbaijan.”
The Georgian Interior Ministry says that Mamedov, who was detained in Georgia’s Marneuli region resided by ethnic minorities, was wanted by Interpol’s red notice as he was charged in Azerbaijan in 2017 for fraud and was sent to pre-trial detention in absentia by a court in his homeland in 2018.
Mamedov requested asylum in Georgia in 2017, but his request was dismissed by the Georgian Justice Ministry “due to the lack of grounds.”
Mamedov appealed the decision to the court as he says that he is prosecuted in Azerbaijan for his activities.
Mamedov must not be extradited to Azerbaijan until the Georgian court announces its decision on his asylum issue.
Georgia has been criticized many times by local NGOs and in international reports for Mukhtarli’s case, who says he was abducted from Tbilisi by Azerbaijani law enforcers with the help of Georgian police.
He was sentenced to six years in prison in January 2017 for three different charges, including illegally crossing the border.
Mukhtarli, with his wife and young daughter, had lived in Georgia since 2015, as he saw threats from the Azerbaijani leadership.
The Georgian government refused to grant them the residency permit they had been asking for.
Local NGOs say that Georgia is likely to face the same type of criticism due to the Mamedov’s case.
Mammadov protested the abduction of Mukhtarli from Georgia at the protest rally in Tbilisi, held shortly after the incident.
