Ali Insanov stated on political motives of his persecution

Court proceedings have begun on a new criminal case of a former minister of health of Azerbaijan Ali Insanov. Defence stated to court on falsification of proofs, and A. Insanov called the case as political one.

According to “Kavkazsky uzel”, Ali Insanov, who worked as a minister of the health of Azerbaijan since 1993, and in 2005 he was charged in bribery and economic crimes. In 2007 he was sentenced to 11 years imprisonment. On August 2016 Insanov was brought new charges and due to this he was transferred from colony to Investigative cell. On 7 March Insanov was declared on completion of preliminary investigation of a new case.

Insanov was charged in illegal purchase and storage without purpose of sell the drugs and psychotropic substances in amount exceeded needs for personal consume (Article 234.1 of the Criminal Code of Azerbaijan), in resistance or application of violence concerning the representative of authority, dangerous to life or health (Article 315.2 of the CC), and in manufacturing, storage or using by prisoner in executive establishments the prohibiting items (Article 317-2.1 of the CC). He can be punished up to eight years in prison.

On 7 April in the Garadag District Court of Baku held preparation court session on Insanov’s case.

The session was held in the room limited for six observers, and the journalists were not admitted there in the beginning of hearing. Insanov’s relative had to give seat to the journalists, a correspondent of “Kavkazsky uzel” says.

At this the courtroom was overcrowded with 11 security guards and bailiffs.

Insanov was kept in an iron cage and, despite his 71-year-old age looked vigorous.  

Insanov named the accusations as “political repressions” against him.

“I consider this as political repression against me. This is a continuance of my arrest in 2005. That time I was accused in a coup attempt, but it was sooner broken. After that I was charged in economical crimes. One and half year the Ministry of Health was subjected to inspection, at last it had been cleared that I did not take any kopeks from the state budget. Many members of commission did not signed falsified document of inspection, and some did it with especial opinion. There were 100 judicial processes on this case in Azerbaijan, but we could win them. But we won in one court – in European Court on Human Rights”, – said Insanov.

According to the defendant, “there are no facts, proofs, logics in his second arrest”.

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