Azeri court levels new charges against jailed ex-minister

An Azerbaijani court has put forward new charges against the imprisoned former Azerbaijani health minister, the APA news website reported on 24 August.


Ex-minister Ali Insanov, who was arrested in October 2005 on charges of attempting a coup, is now accused of illegally purchasing and storing drugs; putting up resistance to a government representative, and possessing prohibited items in jail.


According to lawyer Togrul Babayev, a drug containing psychotropic substances was found on Insanov, but he said it had no relation to him.


The 70-year-old minister also denied putting up resistance to a jail representative, saying that the new charges were levelled at a time, when two months were left of his 11 year prison term.

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