Azerbaijan: researcher of Talysh culture Igbal Abilov sentenced to 18 years in prison
Verdict against Azerbaijani scholar Abilov
On May 20, the Serious Crimes Court in Lankaran, Azerbaijan, sentenced Igbal Abilov — an ethnic researcher and editor-in-chief of the News of the Talysh National Academy journal — to 18 years in prison.
He was convicted of treason, alleged cooperation with Armenian intelligence services, and carrying out their instructions to incite interethnic hatred in Azerbaijan.
Abilov denies all charges, claiming his arrest was politically motivated and linked to his research on ethnic minorities in Azerbaijan, particularly the Talysh.
Officially, he was found guilty under three articles of the Azerbaijani Criminal Code:
- Article 274 — treason
- Article 281.3 — public calls against the state on behalf of foreign organizations
- Article 283.1 — incitement of national, racial, or religious hatred
Lawyer: “The charges are unsubstantiated”
Abilov and his lawyers reject all accusations brought against him.
The defense argues that the investigation and court proceedings presented no credible or legally sound evidence to support the charges.
The trial was held behind closed doors, with judges citing the presence of state secrets in the case materials. Abilov attended the hearings remotely from the Baku pretrial detention center.
Throughout the investigation, pro-government media and social media accounts repeatedly referred to Abilov as a “traitor” and an “agent carrying out the orders of Armenian intelligence services.”
International organizations recognize Abilov as a political prisoner
Local and international human rights organizations have expressed concern over the arrest of Igbal Abilov.
Prominent rights advocates have recognized him as a political prisoner. Scholars and organizations from various countries have called on Azerbaijani authorities to release Abilov.
Abilov’s relatives believe his arrest is linked to his research on the challenges faced by ethnic minorities in Azerbaijan, particularly the Talysh.
About Igbal Abilov
Igbal Abilov was born in Azerbaijan but lived there only until the age of five.
His family later moved to Belarus, where he completed school, studied international relations at the local state university, began working on his dissertation, and taught classes.
An ethnic Talysh (an ethnic group primarily living in southern Azerbaijan), Abilov dedicated himself to researching the Talysh language and culture.
He became editor-in-chief of the journal Herald of the Talysh National Academy.
He was also one of the founders of the Talysh National Academy, which was registered in Riga, Latvia, in 2010. The academy’s website and journal publish samples of Talysh folklore, ethnographic research, and historical documents.
Over time, his academic interests expanded to include the languages and cultures of other ethnic groups across the South Caucasus, Turkey, Iran, and the Far East.
Abilov’s short film Fragments won an award for Best Sci-Fi Film at the international film festival in Monza, Italy. It was also selected among the top works at the Prisma Awards – Rome Independent Film Award.
“The film was supposed to be screened at the Warsaw Film Festival. But Igbal was arrested, and he lost that opportunity,” his father Shahin Abilov told JAMnews.
Igbal traveled to Azerbaijan in the summer of 2024 to visit relatives. On July 22, he was detained by state security officers in the village of Bala Kolatan in Masalli district. After six hours of questioning, he was released.
“They told me, ‘He’s a scholar—let him stick to science, not other matters.’ I replied, ‘That’s exactly what he’s doing,’” his father said.
However, a few days later, when Abilov tried to return to Belarus, he was informed that he was under a travel ban. Authorities at the airport confiscated his passport and phones.
He was later summoned to the State Security Service office in Masalli, where he was arrested.
News in Azerbaijan
