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The two Azerbaijani bloggers, held in pre-trial detention for four months, have been found guilty on hooliganism and violence charges by a court in Baku.  Adnan Hajizade will serve two years, and Emin Abdullayev (also known as Milli) has been sentenced to two and a half years.  The two had been held in pre-trial detention for four months. They were arrested following an incident in a Baku restaurant in July.

Miklos Haraszti, the OSCE (Organisation for Security and Co-Operation in Europe) Representative on Freedom of the Media, described the sentence as political.

"These new imprisonments cement Azerbaijan's image as the pre-eminent jailer of journalists in the OSCE region.

"Five journalists are currently in prison, several of them on clearly trumped-up charges following organized provocations and unfair trials," Haraszti wrote in a letter to Elmar Mammadyarov, the country's Foreign Minister.

According to supporters tweeting from the court, the lawyer for Hajizade, Isahan Ashurov, said the case was about power.

"Today we witness the unfair struggle of mind and physical power."

Shortly before sentence was passed, Abdullayev said he remained proud and was ready to accept the verdict.

Supporters have tweeted that Hajizade said the decision was framed in falsehoods.

"We will be done with our sentences but I wonder how they are going to live a life built on lies."

Supporters say the two men are victims of a political trial and claim their human rights have been violated.

The public prosecutor had called for three and a half years for Abdullayev and three years for Hajizade.

Lawyers say the two men will appeal their sentences.

The World Blogging Forum in Romania condemned the sentences.

Earlier protests by media freedom campaigners

Media freedom groups had earlier protested against the arrests and detention, claiming it was part of an effort to limit freedom of expression.

Freedom House said the case reflected "a disturbing pattern". Reporters Without Borders said the case violated all the norms of European law to which Azerbaijan is subject. IFEX, the International Freedom of Expression Exchange, said the charges were political.

Adnan Hajizadeh is one of the founders of OL! Youth Movement which has a Facebook site. The group also tweets @olmedia and has a YouTube site where it updates videos of the campaign to free the two.

Emin Abdullayev helped set up the Alumni Network (AN). Supporters of the two have set up an online video petition where people can post video messages calling for their release.