Talysh language books published, but by end of the 1930s these schools were closed and the Talysh identity was not acknowledged in official statistics, with the Talysh being classified as "Azerbaijani". From 1991 to present Historical repression of identity and the inability to practice their culture and language has led the Talysh to an internalized self-repression. This makes it difficult to gauge support for any type of Talysh movement. According to Hema Kotecha, many Talysh fear being associated with the separatist Talysh-Mughan Autonomous Republic, with Russia, or with Armenia if they acknowledge or attempt to talk about their beliefs in the public sphere. The fear of the police is another factor to this silence, although support for secular democracy and shared Azerbaijani-Talysh feelings towards Nagorno-Karabakh contribute as well. The Talysh population is declining; the language is on its way to extinction within 25–35 years, as it is very often not passed on to children. Young Talesh people more frequently use Persian or Azerbaijani in their communities. Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty voiced their concerns about the arrest of Novruzali Mamedov, Chairman of the Talysh Cultural Centre and editor-in-chief of the Tolyshi Sado newspaper. According to a U.S. government interview with Khilal Mamedov, a Talysh rights activist, Mr. Mamedov: “Accused the Azerbaijani leadership of Turkic nationalism and of seeking to suppress non-Turkic minorities…. He said the Azerbaijani leadership seeks to minimize contacts between the Talysh communities in Azerbaijan and Iran and to run Azerbaijan into a monoethnic state.” , Ismail Shabanov was the president of the Talysh diaspora of Russia. The National Talysh Movement (NTM) The National Talysh Movement (NTM) was formally created in 2007 by Talysh leaders exiled in the Netherlands. The members of the organization include those who were in support of the Talysh-Mughan Autonomous Republic such as Alikram Hummatov, the self-proclaimed president of Talysh-Mughan. The movement favors an autonomous region within Azerbaijan. It also demands the promotion of democratic, cultural, and linguistic rights of all minorities within Azerbaijan. See also Demographics of Azerbaijan Citadel of Cadusii Notes References Sources Iranian ethnic groups Iranian peoples in the Caucasus Peoples of the Caucasus Ethnic groups in Iran Ethnic groups in Azerbaijan Ethnic groups divided by international borders Indigenous peoples of Western Asia Ethnic groups in the Middle East Muslim communities of the Caucasus