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Talysh People

Talysh People

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Mirhafiz Jafarzade. Courtesy photo.
Azerbaijan

Azerbaijan sentences Talysh activist to 16 years in prison for treason

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Ethnic Talysh activist Mirhafiz Jafarzade, who advocated for the creation of Talysh school textbooks in Azerbaijan, has been sentenced to 16 years in prison on charges of treason.  Jafarzade, who is also a Russian citizen, was found guilty of treason in the form of espionage on Thursday. Jafarzade was detained by the authorities in November 2022. That day, pro-government media reported that the trial had determined that Jafarzade worked ‘in secret cooperation with foreign special services

Igbal Abilov. Image via social media.
Azerbaijan

Talysh researcher arrested for ‘treason’ in Azerbaijan 

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Azerbaijani authorities have arrested an ethnic Talysh researcher on charges of treason and inciting ethnic hatred. On Wednesday, Igbal Abilov was remanded into four months pre-trial detention. He has also reportedly been barred from receiving visitors, including his family. Abilov was detained by the State Security Service on Monday in the village of Bala Kolatan, in southern Azerbaijan. Pro-government news site Qafqazinfo.az reported that Abilov is accused of working with the Armenian secu

Members of the The Public Council of the Talysh of Azerbaijan.
Azerbaijan

Talysh organisation slams alleged discrimination by Azerbaijani government

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A report issued by the Public Council of the Talysh of Azerbaijan (ATISH) has criticised the Azerbaijani government for allegedly not respecting the Talysh language, identity, or rights to education in their own language. The Public Council of the Talysh of Azerbaijan (ATISH), an unregistered Talysh community in Azerbaijan, issued the report on September 15. The report recommends that the Azerbaijani government take measures to allow national minorities to express their identities and concer

Aslan Gurbanov. Photo via RFE/RL.
Azerbaijan

Talysh blogger ‘illegally moved’ from pre-trial detention

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A Talysh blogger currently appealing his conviction for ‘public incitement against the state’ has been moved from pre-trial detention to a prison, which according to his lawyer is in breach of the law. Aslan Gurbanov was found guilty of public incitement against the state and incitement of national, racial, social, religious hatred and enmity through the media on 15 April. The blogger was accused of carrying out anti-government propaganda on social media platforms, disseminating discriminato

Aslan Gurbanov. Photo via RFE/RL.
Azerbaijan

Talysh blogger sentenced to 7 years in Azerbaijan

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A Talysh blogger arrested by the State Security Service in July 2020 has been sentenced to seven years in prison by a Baku court for ‘inciting national hatred’, among other charges. Aslan Gurbanov was found guilty on 15 April of public incitement against the state and incitement of national, racial, social, religious hatred and enmity through the media. The blogger was accused of carrying out anti-government propaganda on social media platforms such as Facebook and Instagram, disseminating d

Ahmad Mammadli, a student activists from the Student Power Centre, reads statement of protest aloud outside the Lankaran State University.
Azerbaijan

Students arrested at protest outside Lankaran university 

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Three Azerbaijani students have been arrested while attempting to protest against alleged corruption outside the Lankaran State University. Orkhan Iskenderli, a student at the Lankaran university, and Samir Akhunzadeh and Ahmad Mammadli, both student activists from the Student Power Centre were found not guilty of violating quarantine later the same day. The students had attempted to conduct a peaceful protest in front of the university on Monday. The Student Power Centre told OC Media the

Fakhraddin Abbasov. Image via Turan.
Azerbaijan

Prominent Talysh activist dies in prison in Azerbaijan

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Prominent Talysh historian and activist Fakhraddin Abbasov has died in prison in Azerbaijan, where he was serving 16 years for treason. His family has said they were informed on Monday that Abbasov, 63, took his own life in his cell. Abbasov’s burial took place on Tuesday in the Bilaband village of the Lerik District where he was born.  Many Talysh rights and human rights activists have suggested that Abbasov may have been murdered for his political activities. On 13 October, Ogtay Asgarov

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