22:42, 17 March 2007

Ex-Minister of Public Health of Azerbaijan starts hunger strike

Ali Insanov, ex-minister of public health of Azerbaijan has told his lawyers that as of today he goes on hunger strike. The reason, he has stated, is the biased character of his trial.

According to ex-minister Insanov's advocates, today, despite the judge's permit, they were not allowed to meet their client at the pre-trial detention facility of the Ministry of National Security (MNS).

The MNS employees explained their act by the fact that the advocates had no official letter from the court. Ali Insanov's defenders have treated this fact as a roughest violation of their client's rights.

The "Caucasian Knot" has already informed that Ali Insanov, former minister of public health of Azerbaijan, was arrested last October on suspicion of preparing a coup d'etat and abuse of service powers, including, appropriation of state property. The defendant Ali Insanov himself is accusing the court of "Stalinist methods" of legal proceedings and states that "he does not trust the court, which rejects lawful petitions" of his advocates and "would not let independent media into the courtroom."

Author: Zaur Rasulzade, CK correspondent