Azerbaijan researcher Iqbal Abilov 'tortured in Baku prison'

Iqbal Abilov

Supporters of jailed Azerbaijani researcher Iqbal Abilov have accused prison authorities of torturing him after he appeared in court wearing a T-shirt featuring political poetry.

The 37-year-old academic, who serves as editor-in-chief of the Talysh National Academy’s journal, was reportedly beaten and bound to a metal bed in Baku’s Detention Facility No 1.

Abilov’s defence committee said the punishment followed his appearance at a court hearing on 7 July wearing a shirt with a verse by the independent poet Ali Nasir.

On 9 July, both his family and his lawyer, Fariz Namazli, were denied access to him. Prison officials later confirmed Abilov had been placed in a solitary confinement cell, known locally as a "kars", but did not state a reason.

Azerbaijani authorities did not immediately respond to requests for comment regarding the torture allegations. Officials generally reject claims of abuse and discrimination within the prison system as baseless.

On 13 July, the Garadagh District Court rejected a separate appeal by Abilov’s legal team. That complaint alleged he was subjected to forced medical scans, physical violence, and ethnic discrimination at another prison facility.

His lawyers said the prosecution had failed to carry out a full investigation, noting that investigators did not review CCTV footage, interview all witnesses, or order a medical examination.

Abilov, who has lived in Belarus since childhood, was arrested by the State Security Service in June 2024 while visiting Azerbaijan for a family wedding.

He was later sentenced to 18 years in prison by the Lankaran Grave Crimes Court on charges of treason, public appeals against the state, and inciting national hatred.

Abilov denies all charges, maintaining that his prosecution is a reaction to his academic research into the history and culture of the Talysh, an ethnic minority group in Azerbaijan.