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In Baku Court of Grave Crimes the trial over Nijat Aliyev, the editor-in-chief of the site Azadheber.org, and 9 others who are accused of illegal possession of drugs and weapons, inciting inter-relegious strife, calling for the seizure of power and distribution of religious banned literature, has finished, Azerbaijani news agency "Turan" reports.

As noted in the material, the defendant was charged of dissemination of video footage with criticism against holding "Eurovision" contest and a "Gay Parade" in Baku. The investigation fixed anti-governmental appeals in the footage, signs of inciting religious strife, etc.

According to the agency, the court sentenced Nijat Aliyev to 10 years in prison, Elvina Nasirova - 9 years in prison, Emin Tofig - 3 years and 2 months in prison, Samir Huseynov - 6 years in prison, Elimhan Huseynov - 7 years, Jeyhun Safarli - 9 years and 4 months, Gorkhmaz Jamalov - 7 years in prison, Ali Aliyev - 4 years, Valeh Abdullayev - 8 years and Safar Mamedov - 3 years and 4 months imprisonment.

"The last three were taken into custody from the courtroom. The lawyers stated about the innocence of their clients and their intention to appeal the verdict at appellate court," the material reads.

The lawyer Yalcin Imanov stated that his client is being persecuted for freedom of expression. All the charges have been fabricated, and the drugs have been planted to Nijat Aliyev. There is no evidence of crime in the video footage.

The lawyer also noted that the young people were incriminated to creation of an organized criminal group, however many of them did not know each other before the arrest, writes the agency.

Currently there are eight journalists in Azerbaijani jails: Avaz Zeynalov, chief editor of "Khural" newspaper, Faramaz Allahverdiev, freelance journalist, journalist Fuad Huseynov, Gilal Mamedov, editor in chief of the newspaper "Tolyshi sad" (Voice of the Talysh), a columnist for the newspaper "Yeni Musavat" Tofig Yagublu, chief editor of “Azadxeber.org” Nijat Aliyev, chief editor of “Xeber44.com” Araz Guliyev and chief editor of “PS Nota” Sardar Alibeili.