Lengthy prison sentence for another group of believers

The Baku Court of Grave Crimes today completed the trial of the chief editor of the site azadxeber.org Nijat Aliyev and 9 others accused of illegal possession of drugs and weapons, inciting sectarian strife, calling for the seizure of power, and distributing banned religious literature.

The defendants were charged with distribution of video criticism against holding in Baku Eurovision SC and a possible gay pride parade. The investigation saw in the footage anti-government appeals and signs of inciting sectarian strife, etc.

Nijat Aliyev was sentenced to 10 years in prison , Elvin Nasirov - to 9 years , Emin Tofig - to 3 years and 2 months , Samir Huseynov - to 6 years , Elimkhan Huseynov - to 7 years , Jeyhun Safarli - to 9 years and 4 months , Korkmaz Jamalov - to 7 years , Ali Aliyev - to 4 years , Valeh Abdullayev - to 8 years , and Safar Mammadov - to 3 years and 4 months of imprisonment.

The latter three were taken into custody in the courtroom. The defendants and their families perceived the sentence with curses.

The lawyers claimed the innocence of their clients and the intention to appeal the verdict.

Yalcin Imanov, the lawyer, said his client was being persecuted for freedom of expression. All the charges were fabricated, and the drugs were planted on Nijat Aliyev.

In the video footage, there is no evidence of a crime.

The counsel also noted that the young people were incriminated creation of an organized criminal group, but many of them did not know each other before their arrest. -16C06-