Azeri editor downplays allegations on extortion by killed journalist.

(From BBC Monitoring International Reports)

An Azerbaijani editor has downplayed the allegations that the murdered editor-in-chief of Monitor magazine, Elmar Huseynov, had extorted 5,000 dollars from a businessman, Turan news agency reported on 30 August.

"The reports that a former member of staff of Monitor gave evidence to the National Security Ministry about Elmar Huseynov's extortion of 5,000 dollars from the ex-president of Azpetrol, Rafiq Aliyev, are increasingly doubtful," Turan quoted the editor-in-chief of Realnyy Azerbaydzhan newspaper, Eynulla Fatullayev, as saying.

The report also …