On July 17, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev and Chairman of the Halk Maslahaty of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov visited the House-Museum of Bulbul in Shusha, Azernews reports.
Day: July 17, 2025
The State Security Service of Georgia (SSSG) said on July 17 it arrested two persons – a Georgian citizen and a foreign national – in Batumi over the illegal sale and purchase of nuclear material, specifically radioactive uranium.
The arrests were made during a joint operation conducted by the SSSG’s Counterintelligence Department and the Special Operations Department.
“According to the agreement among the detainees, the illegal sale of uranium was planned for USD 3 million,” the SSSG stated, adding that it had “uncovered a transnational crime and prevented its potential development in various directions.”
An investigation has been launched under Article 230 of Georgia’s Criminal Code, which covers the illegal handling of nuclear material, equipment, radioactive waste, and substances. If convicted, the offense carries a sentence of five to 10 years in prison.
The SSSG said the seized uranium, based on its alpha and gamma radiation levels and source characteristics, could be used in explosive devices, terrorist attacks, or to inflict other severe, mass, and fatal consequences.
Also Read:
- 01/05/2023 – One Arrested for Attempted Uranium Sale
- 13/03/2019 – Two Arrested for Attempting to Sell Uranium Isotope
- 28/04/2016 – Five Men, Suspected of Trying to Sell Uranium, Arrested
- 18/04/2016 – Georgia Says Arrested Six People Suspected of Trying to Sell Uranium
- 23/04/2010 – U.S. Hails Georgia for Uranium Seizure
- 14/04/2010 – Georgia Says Seized Small Amount of Enriched Uranium
Prosecutor’s Office of Georgia said on July 17 it requested financial records from the Georgian Dream-critical Mtavari Arkhi channel, currently off air, and its contracting sales company as part of a probe into alleged financial misconduct at the broadcaster.
The investigation stems from a complaint filed by Giorgi (Gogi) Kurdadze, a director appointed by Mtavari Arkhi co-founder Zaza Okuashvili, and follows a months-long internal management conflict that led the channel to go off air in May and continue operating through social media only.
According to prosecutors, the probe centers on alleged “abuse of managerial authority in an enterprise, by a group acting in concert, misappropriation and embezzlement of the legal entity’s funds, and the legalization of illicit income.”
Mtavari Arkhi has denied any wrongdoing in a July 16 statement, calling the allegations “absurd.”
“As we stated back in the fall of last year, Zaza Okuashvili has been making false and baseless accusations against Mtavari Arkhi’s management and co-founders, serving the interests of the Russian regime,” Mtavari Arkhi said, noting that the ruling Georgian Dream party succeeded in using Okuashvili to shut down the channel.
Georgian Dream “is once again attempting retribution against the station’s management and other co-founders, based on defamation by Okuashvili,” Mtavari said.
Internal discord at Mtavari Arkhi has intensified in recent months. Channel general director Giorgi Gabunia has accused Zaza Okuashvili of orchestrating efforts to dismantle the station and of colluding with the ruling Georgian Dream party. Additionally, Gabunia and Mtavari Arkhi argued that Kurdadze, acting under Okuashvili’s direction, deliberately withheld payments to service providers.
Okuashvili has denied those accusations and, in turn, has publicly accused Gabunia and Mtavari Arkhi co-founder Nika Gvaramia of “financial manipulation,” which led the channel to “artificial bankruptcy.”
Mtavari Arkhi was founded by Nika Gvaramia, a former director general of the Rustavi 2 TV channel. Gvaramia was first jailed in 2022 after being found guilty of abuse of power related to Rustavi 2 management, in a case that was widely seen as politically motivated. He entered politics soon after his release by a presidential pardon in 2023. He quit as Director General upon co-founding the opposition Ahali party early in 2024, and transferred his 12% stake in the media to his wife, Sopho Liluashvili.
He is currently one of six opposition leaders jailed for refusing to testify before Tsulukiani’s commission in the Georgian Dream’s one-party parliament, investigating alleged misconduct by former officials.
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