AssA-Irada,
21, September 2007

The sentence of former health minister Ali Insanov charged with embezzlement, abuse of power and graft and 10 other healthcare workers was upheld on Friday.

The Baku Court of Appeal kept in force the 11-year jail term pronounced by the Grave Crimes Court on April 20 after considering a plea filed by the defendants.

The previous ruling of the two former Health Ministry employees Anar Namazov and Anar Rzayev was upheld as well. Two others will be kept under home arrest for seven and a half years and a year and 10 months respectively. Two more healthcare workers had their sentences commuted to five and a half years and five years.

The former health minister, who was known as one of the most corrupt officials in the country, delivered a terse closing statement in court. He regarded as the gravest crime against the Azerbaijani people what he described as ongoing "family and clan rule in Azerbaijan", maintaining that the incumbent authorities had no moral right to accuse anyone of corrupt practices. He claimed that the government was "wasting money acquired from oil revenues, the hope of future generations, by squandering it on gambling".

Insanov served as minister in 1993-2005. He was arrested in October 2005 in the run-up to the parliamentary elections, along with several other former high-ranking officials, on charges of a coup attempt. However, the indictment currently does not include these charges, as investigation into this case is still underway and it will be reviewed separately.