PACE Rapporteur Calls for Release of Iqbal Abilov, Condemns His Sentencing

Iqbal Abilov

Azadeh Rojhan, the Swedish member of parliament and Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) Rapporteur on Political Prisoners, has issued multiple statements expressing deep concern over the sentencing of Azerbaijani historian and ethnographer Iqbal Abilov to 18 years in prison on charges of high treason and incitement to hatred.

On 20 May 2025, the Lankaran Grave Crimes Court sentenced Iqbal Abilov, the editor-in-chief of the journal News of the Talysh National Academy, to 18 years in prison. The charges against him include high treason, public calls against the state on orders from foreign organizations, and incitement of national and religious enmity. Azerbaijani authorities claim these alleged crimes were committed under the direction of Armenian intelligence services.

Abilov, a researcher of Talysh history and culture, denies the allegations and asserts that he was engaged in purely academic work. His defense team argues that the investigation has failed to present credible evidence to support the charges. According to his Rights Protection Committee, he has not engaged in any political activity, and his only “crime” is scientific objectivity, honest research, and the preservation of cultural heritage.

Rojhan emphasized that the accusations appear to be based on Abilov’s professional cooperation with Armenian scholars. “The factual basis for the charges lies in his professional connections with Armenian scholars. Yet Abilov was conducting academic research on the history and culture of the Talysh minority as a historian and ethnographer,” she said.

In a statement released on 22 May 2025, Rojhan reaffirmed this concern: “I am deeply concerned by the decision of the Lankaran Grave Crimes Court on 20 May 2025 to sentence Iqbal Abilov to 18 years in prison on charges of high treason and incitement to hatred. These charges are rooted in his professional activity—namely, his academic exchanges with Armenian scholars and his research into the history and culture of the Talysh minority.”

She continued, “Academic freedom—which includes the right to conduct research and disseminate knowledge freely—is an integral part of the right to freedom of expression. This freedom is one of the core principles of democratic societies, and scholars must be protected from all forms of political interference. I call on the Azerbaijani authorities to immediately review the charges against Iqbal Abilov and to release him, as well as all human rights defenders, journalists, and academics who have been imprisoned for exercising their right to freedom of expression.”

Rojhan reiterated, “Academic freedom—the right to conduct research and share knowledge and truth without obstruction—is undoubtedly protected by the right to freedom of expression. It is one of the foundations of democratic societies, and researchers must be safeguarded from any unjustified political interference.”

Abilov, an Azerbaijani citizen residing in Belarus, was arrested by the State Security Service (SSS) on 22 July 2024 in the village of Bala Kolatan in the Masalli district while visiting family in Azerbaijan.

A large group of scholars from various countries has appealed to the Azerbaijani government to secure Abilov’s release. Human rights organizations have recognized him as a political prisoner.