Baku court orders 3-month pre-trial detention for Afgan Mukhtarli

The Baku-based Sabail District Court ordered a three-month pre-trial detention for Afgan Mukhtarli, the Azerbaijani journalist, who went missing in Georgia two days ago. Mukhtarli, who has resided in Georgia for the past three years, has recently reported on the growing pressure on the part of Azerbaijani authorities.

As Elchin Sadygov, a defense lawyer, told Turan news agency, the journalist has been facing new charges, namely, resisting border guards with violence.

Mukhtarli said, he hadn’t seen that border guard until he was brought to the border crossing point. He claims he was transported through the border control checkpoints both on the Georgian and Azerbaijani territories.

The Azerbaijani General Prosecutor’s Office reported earlier that Mukhtarli had been charged with border trespassing and money smuggling (EUR 10,000).

According to Mukhtarli’s lawyer, his client was arrested by individuals in Georgian police uniforms.

The lawyer said, the defense was going to challenge the pre-trial detention ruling.