Correspondent Rafig Tagi received a three-year prison sentence for articles deemed to be critical of Islam and the Prophet Muhammad.

Supporters and critics of the journalists held rallies today outside the courtroom.

Islamic radicals in Iran and in predominantly Muslim Azerbaijan have called for the defendants' deaths, though the country has abolished the death penalty.

Rights groups say the trial is part of government efforts to silence critical journalists, RFE/RL's Azerbaijani Service reported.