
The state plaintiff told the judge to uphold the Grave Crimes Court’s verdict. But Huseynov’s lawyers asked the judge to overturn the verdict and release the defendant. The judge left for deliberation and then returned and read the verdict. According to the verdict, Huseynov’s six year prison sentence was reduced to five years, however the two year ban on working as a journalist after Huseynov’s release remains in place.
Recall that on 21 January 2008 Grave Crime Court Judge Jamal Ramazanov sentenced “Bizim Yol” correspondent Mushfig Huseynov to six years of imprisonment, and an additional two years during which he is forbidden from working as a journalist.