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Today the Baku Court of Grave Crimes convicted the journalist of independent Azerbaijani newspaper "Bizim Yol" Parviz Hashimli of illegal possession of weapons and sentenced him to eight years' imprisonment. Hashimli, during his final speech in court, called the MNS employees real criminals, the Azerbaijani information agency Turan reports.

According to the article the journalist was convicted under the articles 228.2.1 (illegal purchase, transfer, sale, storage and transportation or carrying of weapons and ammunition, committed on preliminary arrangement by persons) and 228.2.2 (same acts committed repeatedly) and 206.3.2 (smuggling persons by prior agreement).

According to Turan yesterday Hashimli made a final speech in court. He said he did not recognize the guilt and believes his innocence was proved.

"It is the Court of Grave Crimes. Here are judged terrorist thugs, fraudsters and murderers. Therefore, I demand that the judges do not treat me like these criminals. I am not guilty. I proved that I did not commit the crime. The real criminals are in the MNS management – the chief of the Anti-Terrorist Center Elchin Guliyev, his deputy Ilgar Aliyev and the investigator Elchin Murtuzov. I know why they arrested me on a slanderous accusation and during the trial I spoke about it for many times. They are taking revenge on me for the people whom they consider their enemies,” he stated.

The agency reminds that on the trial Hashimli repeatedly stated that he was sought to testify against the former deputy head of the National Security Ministry, now deputy head of the Anti -Corruption Department under Prosecutor General Ali Nagiyev, his brother and President of Azeroilservis, MP, Javid Gurbanov. According to Hashimli, he was required to give evidence that these persons allegedly passed money through the journalist to the leader of the opposition Azerbaijan Popular Front Party Ali Kerimli.

If it was not for the broader reaction of the local and international community to my arrest, if the foreign press would not write about me, the MNS would have killed me," said Hashimli.

Within 20 days after the arrest Hashimli was held incommunicado in solitary confinement. He was not allowed to see the lawyer and was undergone physical and psychological pressure, said the journalist. But the worst thing, says the defendant, is that "prosecutors supervising the investigation were powerless before the MNS."

“All petitions of the lawyers were rejected too. It would be enough to satisfy the two motions for acquittal,” he said.

One request concerns the memory card of the security cameras installed in the house of Hashimli, which, he believes, would clarify that “the weapon was planted by MNS and everyone would see how they attack his wife and daughter.” On the second petition Hashimli recalled it was due to giving information to the Border Service on the citizens of Iran that passed to Azerbaijan on the day of the journalist’s arrest. Then it turned out there is no fictional man named Hussein who allegedly delivered the weapons from Iran.

“But it's a pity that the courts are not independent in Azerbaijan and the judges did not dare to meet our petitions," concluded the journalist.

The employee of independent newspaper "Bizim Yol" (Our way) and director of the site “Moderator.az” Parviz Hashimli was arrested on 17 September 2013 Azerbaijan. Hashimli was detained at the editorial office of the site “Moderator.az” by the MNS officers. The MNS officers entered Hashimli’s private house in Baladzhary village and the editorial office of "Bizim Yol" newspaper at the same time. MNS officers "found" 30 grenades and a pistol in Hashimli’s house. Wife of the journalist noted that weapons were brought into the house by the MNS staff. Hashimli’s arrest was condemned by a number of international human rights organizations, including - Amnesty International, the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) and others.