Afgan Mukhtarli Abducted by Special Forces of Georgian State Security Service - Givi Targamadze

Tbilisi / 02.06.17 / Turan: One of the leaders of the opposition party European Georgia Givi Targamadze claims that the abduction of the Azerbaijani journalist in Tbilisi was organized by the relative of former Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili.

At a press conference in Tbilisi on Thursday, Targamadze said the abduction of Afgan Mukhtarli was ordered by an influential Azerbaijani businessman, partner of Ucha Mamatsashvili, cousin of Bidzina Ivanishvili.

Thus, an unnamed Azerbaijani businessman, according to Targamadze, hoped to make a gift to his leadership, handing over the opposition journalist.

Targamadze is sure that it was for this reason that the Azerbaijani opposition journalist was abducted by Georgian special services in Tbilisi on 29 May and transported to Azerbaijan.

The head of the State Security Service (SSS) Vakhtang Gomelauri and the Prime Minister of Georgia Georgy Kvirikashvili were aware of the abduction of the journalist.

"According to reliable information that we have, it all started with the fact that partner of Ucha Mamatsashvili asked to help detain and transfer the journalist to Azerbaijan.

Mamatsashvili organized a meeting between a representative of Azerbaijan and the head of the state security service Vakhtang Gomelauri. Soso Gogashvili, deputy, also attended the meeting. As a result, Soso Gogashvili was appointed to lead the case. The operation itself was carried out by the head of the special force unit of the SSS, Zura Kharazishvili, along with two special forces," Targamadze said.

According to his version, the kidnappers were dressed in the form of criminal police. They stopped the journalist, detained him and put him in a car.

After that, they changed direction three times. At first they were going to send him to Azerbaijan via Gareji, but there it did not work, then they changed direction and went in the direction of Iormuganlo, where they also could not transport him.

On the way it turned out that Mukhtarly did not have a passport with him, besides, he felt bad, since he suffers from diabetes. "As a result, with a personal guarantee of Soso Gogashvili, the journalist was transferred from Dedoplistskaro to the so-called Green Border, which the chief of the SSS is now talking about, Targamadze said. -02D-