IGBAL ABILOV

Independent researcher of Talysh origin and human rights defender

About Igbal Abilov

Igbal Abilov, an independent researcher of Talysh origin and human rights defender, was born on 12 December 1989 in the village of Kolatan in the Masally district of the Azerbaijan SSR. When he was seven years old, his family moved to Minsk, Belarus. He studied at Belarusian State University (BSU), where he earned a Bachelor’s degree in 2012 and a Master’s degree in 2013 from the Faculty of International Relations. He continued his academic career by completing his postgraduate studies in 2016.From 2019 to 2022, Abilov was a senior teacher and lecturer at BSU and the University of Law and Social-Information Technologies, where he taught International Relations, Ethnopolitics, and Conflict Resolution. He is a scientific researcher, ethnographer, and Talysh scholar.As a researcher, he studies the history and culture of the South Caucasus, Turkey, and Iran. He is the editor-in-chief of the “Herald of the Talysh National Academy”, an international scientific journal focusing on the study of the Talysh people, an ethnic minority in the region. This is a major part of his activism. He is also known as a peace activist and a defender of minority rights. His work focuses on preserving the Talysh language and culture.Abilov’s academic work and peaceful activism became the direct causes of his persecution. Authorities have compared his specialised research on ethnic minorities to high treason and “foreign-instructed” anti-state appeals, but there is no record of separate arrests before his 2024 detention.¹

Case description

In June 2024, Igbal Abilov arrived in Azerbaijan for a family wedding. On 20 June 2024, State Security officers questioned him for six hours. Days later, when he tried to leave the country, they seized his passport and phones at the airport. On 22 July 2024, the State Security Service (SSS) officially arrested him in the Masally district. They then took him to Baku without informing his family. Two days later, the Sabail District Court remanded him to four months of pre-trial detention, which was extended several times. The lawyer’s motions to transfer Abilov to house arrest were rejected by the court several times.Initially, Abilov was charged under Criminal Code Article 274 (high treason), Article 281.3 (public calls against the state at the direction of foreign organisations), and Article 283.1 (incitement of national, racial, social, or religious hatred and enmity). The charges alleged that he worked with Armenian special services and followed their orders to stir up ethnic hatred. The accusations were based on a short Skype conversation with an Armenian academic colleague.On 26 February 2025, the Lankaran Court for Grave Crimes began the criminal trial. The judge stated that state secrets were involved, so the proceedings were held behind closed doors. The court rejected the defence’s motion to open the hearing.On 20 May 2025, the court convicted and sentenced him to eighteen years in prison. However, he and his lawyers stated that the criminal case against Abilov lacked credible evidence.Igbal Abilov was held at the State Security Service office in Baku before his trial. He was often kept in a solitary confinement cell. In detention, he was deprived of prison phone calls and family visits. His case was classified, and he was not allowed to share any case materials even with family members. Currently, he is being held under harsh prison conditions.^2,^3,^4,^5,⁶

References

Resources about Igbal Abilov

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