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Journalists Convicted In Azerbaijan
By AIDA SULTANOVA, Associated Press Writer
Fri May 4, 9:27 PM ET

BAKU, Azerbaijan - Two Azerbaijani journalists were convicted and sentenced to prison Friday for inciting hatred with an article criticizing Islam, the court said.

Samir Huseinov, editor of the small newspaper Senet, received four years in jail and reporter Rafiq Tagi three years, according to the district court in the capital, Baku.

The convictions were likely to deepen concerns about the freedom of speech in Muslim-majority Azerbaijan. The government of President Ilham Aliev, who took over from his father in a 2003 election denounced by opponents as a sham, has faced persistent criticism from the West and the political opposition over his heavy-handed treatment of independent media.

The article, published in November, asserted that Islam has suffocated people, made them less free and hindered humanity's development. It was also critical of the Prophet Muhammad.

The article sparked angry protests by conservative Muslims, and Huseinov demanded in court that he and Tagi be provided security, citing fear for their lives.

"I have already been told that even in prison, we will both be killed," he said.

Both men maintained their innocence during the trial. Tagi told the court that the constitution calls Azerbaijan a secular state and protects free speech.

The article was "aimed against religious superstition, I did not insult Islam," he said.

Huseinov said he was from a family of faithful Muslims and that he had been unaware of the content of the article when it was published. He called the trial "prejudiced" and said he suspected it was politically motivated.