15:48, 16 October 2007

Azerbaijan: arrested ex-Minister of Public Health complains of his custody conditions

Ali Insanov, former Minister of Public Health complains of his custody conditions. The ex-Minister who is kept in the penitentiary establishment No. 13 was placed into a barrack for 150 inmates.

According to his advocate Togrul Babaev, these actions of the colony administration indicate psychological pressure on his client. The defender has noted that despite the conclusion of the forensic examination conducted by the experts of the Ministry of National Security in relation to Mr Insanov's illnesses, the Ministry of Justice and the Penitentiary Service would not sanction his transfer to the medical establishment of the Ministry of Justice. He said added that Insanov had already sent his complaints on his custody conditions to the Baku OSCE Office, International Committee of the Red Cross and Committee Against Torture.

Meanwhile, the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent has reported that Rizvan Talybov, who headed the committee in defence of Ali Insanov's rights and now convicted for hooliganism, has called on the population to disobedience to the authorities and active struggle against the ruling mode.

Author: Zaur Rasulzade, CK correspondent