BAKU -- Tear gas was used in a Baku courtroom to end emotional outbursts and physical attacks during the high-profile trial of the alleged beating death of an Azerbaijani sports journalist.
Relatives of the five defendants started shouting and tossing chairs at the February 2 trial after the judge refused to invite doctors from the hospital where Rasim Aliyev died on August 9, one day after he was severely beaten.
The relatives insist Aliyev's death in the Baku hospital was the result of negligence by doctors.
After the tear gas was disbursed, the judge adjourned the trial until February 9.
Aliyev said before he died that he was attacked by supporters of well-known national soccer player Cavid Huseynov in retaliation for Aliyev's criticism of Huseynov that was posted on Facebook.
Huseynov, who plays for Azerbaijan’s Qabala FK soccer club and the national team, was charged with not reporting a crime and faces a separate trial.