The prosecutor  asked to sentence Avaz Zeynalli to 10 years in prison

On Friday, at the Baku Serious Crimes Court,  at the trial  in the case of Avaz Zeynally, the head of the “Khural TV” Internet resource, and Elnur Shukurov,  the head of the “Sada TV” YouTube channel, the state prosecutor asked  the court to find Zeynally guilty under  the Articles 311 (taking a bribe) and 312-1.1 (Illegal influence on the decision of an official (trading authority) of the Criminal Code and sentence him to 10 years in prison. At the same time, the prosecutor dropped charges against Zeynally under the Article 312 (incitement to bribery) of the Criminal Code.

The prosecutor proposed to convict Shukurov under  the Article 312-1.1 to five years in prison. The next court session is scheduled for January 26.

Lawyer Agil Laidj told reporters that Zeynally cannot be punished under the Article "taking a bribe" because it refers to the actions of officials, and Zeynalli is not one.

* Lawyer Elchin Sadigov and founder of the “Khural TV” website Avaz Zeynalli were detained on September 10 on suspicion of accepting a bribe, and on September 11, the court arrested both. According to the investigation, Zeynally, through the mediation of Sadigov, received money from the family of the arrested businessman Rasim Mammadov in order not to publish defamatory information about him.

On September 17, the Baku Court of Appeal transferred Sadigov to house arrest, separating his case into a separate proceeding.

Later, Zeynally was charged with a new charge – under the Article 312-1.1 (Illegal influence on the decision of an official (trafficking in authority) of the Criminal Code. Shukurov was arrested on the same charge.