Givi Targamadze, a leader of the European Georgia opposition political party, has accused former Georgian Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili’s relative of involvement in Azerbaijani opposition journalist Afgan Mukhtarli’s kidnapping in Georgia’s capital city of Tbilisi, and sending back to Azerbaijan.  

At a press conference on Thursday, Targamadze stated that Mukhtarli’s kidnapping was ordered by an influential Azerbaijani businessman who is the business partner of Ucha Mamatsashvili, the nephew of Ivanishvili, reported contact.az news agency of Azerbaijan.

Thus, in Targamadze’s words, this Azerbaijani businessman—whose name is not noted—wished to surprise his country’s leadership by handing this opposition journalist over to them.  

Also, according to Givi Targamadze, Afgan Mukhtarli was transferred to Azerbaijan with the personal mediation by Soso Gogashvili, Deputy Head of the State Security Service of Georgia.