Lawyers of convicted bloggers in Azerbaijan appeal against the ruling of the court of appeal

A cassation appeal has been filed at the Supreme Court of Azerbaijan against the ruling of Baku court of appeal of March 10 which upheld the ruling convicting young bloggers Emin Milli and Adnan Gadzhizade who had already been sent to prison.

Isakhan Ashurov, Gadzhizade's lawyer, says that the cassation appeal has been filed at the Supreme Court but it is still not clear who of the judges is going to consider the case or when the hearing is going to be held.

According to Ashurov, two weeks ago the bloggers were transferred from the pre-trial prison to the prison for serving their sentences. The lawyer claims that the biased treatment of the young people is revealed even in the fact that they have been sent to the "remotest colonies", reports the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.

However, the Penitentiary Service public relations department claims that prisoners are directed to colonies "on the principle of their even distribution", and the statements on bias with regard to Milli and Gadzhizade are ungrounded.

Meanwhile, the issue of the bloggers was raised on April 27 during hearings of the US Congress. Discussions "Bloggers behind the bars: Internet journalists in prison and limitation of the freedom of opinion" were held in the Group on Freedom of Press upon the initiative of the Group and the American National Endowment for Democracy - NED.

Adam Shiff, co-chair of the Group at the Congress says that, at present, at least 68 bloggers are held in prison around the world, including editors and reporters of on-line issues. Leaders in the list are China, Iran and Egypt.

Carl Gershman, president of NED, mentioned Azeri bloggers Milli and Gadzhizade among the victims of Internet journalism. "These young people have done nothing apart from criticizing the government using civilized methods", said Gershman.

The participants of the hearings called on the countries of the world, including the USA, to ensure international protection of the bloggers arrested.