Azerbaijan's ex-health minister sentenced to 11 years

The country's serious crimes court sentenced Ali Insanov to 11 years in prison and ordered confiscation of his real estate assets, and gold and jewelry worth US$4.8 million (?3.5 million). Ten other former senior health officials received prison terms ranging from 3 to 9 years.

Insanov denied the charges and said the ruling was politely motivated. "It is a temporary victory of the rotten political (system)," he said after the verdict was announced. "The criminal case against me is trumped-up and demonstrates the authorities' weakness."

Insanov was among several senior government officials who were arrested in autumn 2005, in the tense run-up to parliamentary elections.

They were also accused of plotting to seize power in the oil-rich Caspian Sea nation, which is tightly controlled by President Ilham Aliev. An investigation into the alleged coup plot is continuing. The Associated Press

/The International Herald Tribune/