12 years after Elchibey's death, Baku Prosecutor's Office investigates version of his poisoning

The Baku City Prosecutor's Office has opened a criminal case "on the fact of an attempted murder" of the late ex-president of Azerbaijan Abulfaz Aliev (Abulfaz Elchibey), who died in August 2000.

Elchibey died in the morning on August 22, 2000, in the military hospital "Gyulkhane" in Turkey.

The criminal case, as reported by the Prosecutor's Office, was initiated on the basis of the appeal of Khafiz Gadjiev, the chairman of "Modern Musavat" Party and "other persons." Gadjiev asserts that Elchibey was poisoned.

After some proceedings, the Baku City Prosecutor's Office concluded that "the information about deliberate poisoning of Elchibey has sufficient grounds."

Elchibey's brother Almurad Aliev said that although he does not believe that Elchibey was poisoned, he would like the investigation of this case to be brought to the end.

In his turn, Ali Kerimli, the leader of the Popular Front Party of Azerbaijan (PFPA), has treated, in his comments on the accusations against him moved by Gadjiev on involvement in the poisoning of Elchibey, these statements as "delirium". "Allegations of poisoning Elchibey are not serious; and investigation of this delirium by prosecutors is absurd," said Kerimli.

The PFPA leader believes that the allegation of his involvement in the death of Elchibey is a provocation against the opposition and against him personally in connection with the upcoming 2013 presidential election.