Zahiraddin Ibrahimov is a Talysh historian, cultural activist and blogger, born in 1954 in Shaglaser village in Azerbaijan’s Lankaran district. He moved to Russia in 1997 and settled in Yekaterinburg, where he helped establish the Talysh Cultural Centre in the Sverdlovsk region. He has also been described as Chairperson of the Committee for the Protection of the Rights of Ethnic Minorities in Azerbaijan. His work focuses on Talysh history, language and culture, including publications and Talysh-language broadcasts on YouTube, alongside advocacy for minority rights.

On 26 March 2025, Ibrahimov disappeared while travelling to work in Yekaterinburg and was subsequently located in the custody of Azerbaijan’s State Security Service. Human Rights Watch has cited his case in its reporting on transnational repression.

He faces charges of treason, making public calls against the state allegedly at the instruction of foreign organisations, and inciting national hatred. His defence has disputed the lawfulness of his detention and questioned the applicability of the treason charge given his citizenship status.