Georgian and Azerbaijani authorities to pay 21, 000 euros of compensation to Afgan Mukhtarly - ECHR

Azerbaijani journalist Afgan Mukhtarly has won a lawsuit in the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) against Georgia and Azerbaijan.

The ECHR found that Georgia had violated Article 3 (prohibition of torture) and Article 5 (right to liberty and security of person) of the European Convention on Human Rights in the case of abduction, ill-treatment and illegal transfer to Azerbaijan.

The Court also found a violation by Azerbaijan of Article 5(3) of the Convention (right to liberty and security of person), as well as Article 8 (right to respect for private and family life).

The ECHR ruled that Georgian authorities should pay Mukhtarly 12,500 euros, and Azerbaijani authorities - 8,500 euros as compensation for moral damages and court costs.

Recall that Mukhtarly left Azerbaijan in 2015 after corruption investigations concerning Azerbaijani leadership.

On 29 May 2017, he was kidnapped in the center of Tbilisi, tied up, beaten and forced into a car with a bag over his head. He was brought to the border and handed over to representatives of Baku.

In Azerbaijan, he was charged with illegal border crossing and smuggling and sentenced to six years of imprisonment.

In March 2020, Afgan Mukhtarly was released and left for Germany.

Note that the Georgian authorities denied involvement in Mukhtarly's abduction and co-operation with the Azerbaijani security services. Nevertheless, after the incident, Georgia fired heads of the counterintelligence and border service.