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Prosecution of Talysh activists

Azerbaijani authorities have repeatedly prosecuted Talysh activists, journalists and researchers advocating autonomy, decentralization or minority-language rights.

What happened

Azerbaijani authorities have carried out a sustained campaign of intimidation and prosecution against Talysh activists, journalists and cultural figures who advocate greater autonomy, decentralization or Talysh-language rights, including Fakhraddin Abbasov, sentenced to 16 years in prison with his advocacy for an independent Talysh state cited as evidence, and Novruzali Mammadov, editor of the Talysh-language newspaper Talyshi Sado, who was arrested in 2007 on accusations of spying for Iran and died in an Azerbaijani prison in 2009.[1]

More recently, Talysh researcher Igbal Abilov was interrogated on 22 June 2024, prevented from boarding a flight on 27 June 2024, and sentenced on 20 May 2025 to 18 years in prison on treason charges.[2]

Sources for this page

Each number marks a specific claim. Notes give the source, its locator and how it relates to the claim.

  1. 1.

    Claim: Azerbaijani authorities have carried out a sustained campaign of intimidation and prosecution against Talysh activists, journalists and cultural figures who advocate greater autonomy, decentralization or Talysh-language rights, including Fakhraddin Abbasov, sentenced to 16 years in prison with his advocacy for an independent Talysh state cited as evidence, and Novruzali Mammadov, editor of the Talysh-language newspaper Talyshi Sado, who was arrested in 2007 on accusations of spying for Iran and died in an Azerbaijani prison in 2009.

    • Azerbaijan: Baku Keeps Lid on Ethnic Minorities (Eurasianet) link, Repression section. Source record
    • Amnesty International, Azerbaijan authorities must release Talysh activists (Amnesty International) link, Activist cases section. Advocacy organisation perspective Source record
  2. 2.

    Claim: Talysh researcher Igbal Abilov was interrogated on 22 June 2024, prevented from boarding a flight on 27 June 2024, and sentenced on 20 May 2025 to 18 years in prison on treason charges.

Source note

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