The inspections have disclosed a number of offences and corruption facts.

Preliminary investigations made it clear that cases of bribery, corruption, and appropriation of state property have been quite commonplace at the ministry. Along the ministry’s administration, “generals” of the National Security Ministry too have been involved in the appropriations. The illegal acts have in most case taken place on a direct order from them. Consequently, immense damage has been caused to citizens and the state budget.

The ministry has ceased much of the documentation work due to the inspections. The General Prosecutor’s Office has opened a criminal case over the uncovered facts. More than 10 officials of the ministry were arrested.

Among the arrested come the ministry’s chief of staff Vidadi Zeynalov, director of International Relations and Accounting Center Jalil Jafarov, director general of the Baku Telephone Network Production Association Beytulla Huseynov, Director General of Azerpoct LLC Ganbar Beybalayev, deputy chief of the security department Vali Mahmudov, and general accountant of the Aztelekom Production Association Ogtay Rustamov.

Also, Namazali Mammadov, director of the contractor company executing the ministry’s construction orders has been arrested too.

The detainees are being held in the Baku Investigation Isolator.

Azerbaijan’s Minister of Communications and High Technologies Ali Abbasov has been dismissed from his post upon the decree of Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev.

Government’s sources told APA that some officials of the Ministry of Communications and High Technologies were involved by the former leadership of the National Ministry Security in the actions of harassment of entrepreneurs, the limitation of the rights and freedoms of citizens, illegal wiretapping, etc.

President Ilham Aliyev has repeatedly called on the officials to create a free environment for entrepreneurs and to liberalize the business environment in the country for business development.

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