Demand for the Prime Minister: "Express a position on the abduction of Afgan Mukhtarly"

Following the illegal abduction of Mr Afgan Mukhtarli, Azerbaijani Journalist and opposition activist from Tbilisi, Georgia and his imprisonment in Baku, Azerbaijan; As well as detainment of Mr Mustafa Emre Çabuk, a Turkish secondary school teacher living in Georgia, Free Democrats and Republicans state:

Understanding the importance of the good neighboring relations with the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Republic of Turkey, notwithstanding, we believe strategic partnership with the neighbors can not and should not imply impingement of the dignity and security of any person living in our country, moreover, strategic partnership can not and should not be the reason and an excuse for violating fundamental freedoms of any person concerned.

We are alarmed and deeply concerned by the developments concerning the Azerbaijani journalist and Turkish teacher, as we are witnessing either highly incompetence or criminal indifference by the Georgian state officials, or the deliberate action that can only be assessed as systemic wrongdoing.

Considering the above-mentioned, We, Free Democrats and Republicans demand:

1.Official statement and clarification by the Georgian Government how an Azerbaijani Journalist living in Tbilisi ended up in Baku without passport and ID;

2.Prime Minister of Georgia, to personally ensure verification of the allegations stated in Mr Mukhtarli lawyer`s and his family`s statement, and if involvement of the Georgian special forces are to be confirmed, ensure relevant actions to dismiss and properly prosecute persons involved;

3.Immediate release of Mr Çabuk from the pre-trial detainment and decision on request of his extradition to the Republic of Turkey to be made only according to the European Human Rights Standards, and only in case the relevant Turkish officials are able to provide prove of his wrongdoings. At the same time, as there is a considerable doubt that this is a politically motivated case, all relevant documents to be reviewed only with the involvement of Georgian and foreign human rights organizations.