Abilov is a Talysh public activist. Despite the 1999 Azerbaijani official census reported, that there were 76,800 Talysh in Azerbaijan, Abilov claimed that true number is around 320,000. According to
Amnesty International, Atakhan Abilov, a "Talysh activist, was allegedly detained by officials from the Ministry of National Security [of Azerbaijan]. His apartment was also searched and he was allegedly dismissed from his job at the
Baku State University on account of his political convictions". In 2007 he subsequently left Azerbaijan for
Russia. Abilov is one of de facto refugees who has received such a status from the Russian government. The
United Nations refugee organization also granted him the same status that allows him to leave Russia for a third country. But he waited in Moscow for his family to get out of Azerbaijan. Abilov was subsequently hospitalized with a concussion and a broken nose. ==Monographs==