Recently, Russian media reported the detention of Zakhireddin Ibragimov, a Russian citizen and Talysh historian, in Baku by the State Security Service of Azerbaijan on charges related to undermining the country’s territorial integrity.
Ibragimov, described as the chairman of a committee for protecting ethnic minority rights in Azerbaijan, had resided in Yekaterinburg for years and regularly participated in events held in Yerevan, where he made anti-Azerbaijani remarks. The reports stated that Ibragimov allegedly followed orders from Armenian entities to incite separatist sentiment within Azerbaijan.
Sayyara Aliyeva, the state-appointed lawyer representing Ibragimov, confirmed that her client had been placed in the detention facility of the State Security Service. During interrogation, Ibragimov reportedly acknowledged his connections to Armenia and provided testimony on several other matters. The media noted that the circumstances of the special operation leading to his transfer to Azerbaijan remain undisclosed, but it is confirmed that he is currently held alongside Ruben Vardanyan and Arayik Harutyunyan and will face prosecution for crimes against Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity.
Media reports noted that amid Azerbaijan’s 2025 "Year of Constitution and Sovereignty," Ibragimov’s detention and extradition send a decisive warning to individuals engaging in activities threatening the constitutional order and sovereignty of the state. Ura.ru previously revealed that Ibragimov, who disappeared in Yekaterinburg on March 26, resurfaced days later in Azerbaijani custody on charges of state treason. OC Media reported that his relatives in the Lankaran district received an official letter from Azerbaijani security services detailing multiple accusations, including treason.
Sayyara Aliyeva further stated that Ibragimov, long sought by Azerbaijani authorities along with other Talysh activists, has been a Russian citizen since 2002. During that time, he established several Talysh organizations in Russia’s Sverdlovsk region, including the "Talysh Cultural Center" and the "Talysh Regional Ethnic Cultural Autonomy of the Sverdlovsk Region."
Notably, the Talysh are an indigenous Iranian-speaking ethnic group primarily residing in southeastern Azerbaijan, particularly in the regions of Lankaran, Astara, Lerik, and Masalli, near the Caspian Sea and the Iranian border. Official Azerbaijani statistics, such as the 2019 census, report approximately 76,000 Talysh individuals, constituting about 0.9% of the national population. However, independent researchers and Talysh activists argue that these figures significantly underrepresent the actual population. Estimates from these sources suggest the Talysh population in Azerbaijan ranges between 200,000 and 600,000, with some claims reaching up to 800,000.