Azerbaijan Man Faces 18 Years In Jail For Communicating With Armenian Historian

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Last Updated:May 24, 2025, 14:23 IST

Scholar Igbal Abilov was sentenced to 18 years successful jailhouse for communicating with an Armenian world implicit Skype.

Abilov faces 18 years imprisonment. (Representative Image)

Azerbaijani student Igbal Abilov has been sentenced to 18 years successful situation for online communications with an Armenian academic. He has been accused and recovered blameworthy of “high treason" and “collaborating with Armenian peculiar services." The lawsuit is connected to his connection with an Armenian academic, Garnik Asatrian.

Asatrian is simply a prof astatine Yerevan State University and the Russian-Armenian (Slavonic) University. He is simply a historiographer and is known for his expertise successful Iranian studies.

The 2 reportedly exchanged messages implicit Skype portion Abilov was successful a 3rd country. As per the tribunal ruling, Abilov was pursuing “instructions" from Armenian agents and was inciting “interethnic hostility".

Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty reported that, during the hearing, Abilov rejected each the charges brought against him arsenic “baseless" and “absurd". It added that Abilov claimed that helium had been kept successful custody for a agelong clip without immoderate impervious of his crime.

He noted helium was a pupil of the Talysh connection and culture. Abilov is the editor-in-chief of the Talysh National Academy News, a property outlet of the Talysh National Academy.

Abilov’s lawyers told Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty that they would entreaty the verdict.

The lawsuit indispensable beryllium seen successful the discourse of the tensions betwixt Azerbaijan and Armenia, particularly aft the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh war. This was followed by Azerbaijan’s concern of Nagorno-Karabakh successful 2023. Nagorno-Karabakh is simply a portion whose power is simply a substance of quality betwixt the 2 countries.

According to JAMnews, Abilov is simply a antheral of Talysh ethnicity. He was calved successful Azerbaijan and spent astir of his aboriginal beingness successful Belarus. His world interests see studying the languages and cultures of taste groups successful the South Caucasus, Turkey, Iran, and the Far East.

He has been held successful pre-trial detention since July 22, 2024, arsenic per JAMnews. In the words of his lawyer, “For galore years, helium has been moving to support the rights of nationalist minorities, researching their history, and conducting ethnographic studies…Most likely, his apprehension is connected to this work."

OC Media reported that Abilov is not the archetypal Talysh historiographer to look the complaint of treason from the Azerbaijan authorities. It reported that Talysh historiographer Zahiraddin Ibrahimov had disappeared connected 26 March successful Yekaterinburg, Russia. This was followed by his relatives receiving a missive charging Ibrahimov with respective crimes, including treason.

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News viral Azerbaijan Man Faces 18 Years In Jail For Communicating With Armenian Historian