16:15, 16 December 2008

Chair of Azerbaijani Committee against Torture visits Insanov and Bashirli

Today, Elchin Bekhbudov, Chair of the Azerbaijani Committee against Torture, has visited ex-Minister of Public Health Ali Insanov, who is treated at the medical establishment of the Penitentiary Service of the Ministry of Justice located in Beyuk Shor village, and Ruslan Bashirli, leader of the "Eni Fikir" (New Thought) Youth Association, kept in Colony No. 1.

Mr Bekhbudov said in his conversation with the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent that Insanov suffers from backbone hernia and is now under medical care. According to Bekhbudov, Insanov expressed his indignation with the fact that some media had disseminated information about his death.

As to Ruslan Bashirli, he had no complaints on the custody conditions or attitude to him of the administration, but he asked the Committee against Torture to appeal to the President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliev for his pardon. In case of a pardon, Mr Bashirli is ready to recall his complaint from the Strasbourg Court, where it is now prepared for consideration.

Author: Faik Medzhid, CK correspondent