Ambassador: Lapshin's extradition a triumph of international law

Baku. 14 February. REPORT.AZ/ Blogger Alexander Lapshin's extradition to Azerbaijan is a triumph of international law.

Report informs citing Anadolu, Azerbaijan’s Ambassador to Turkey Faig Baghirov said.

He said that decision to extradite the blogger to Azerbaijan is legal: "Lapshin had made statements against Azerbaijan's territorial integrity. Azerbaijan always demonstrated its "unequivocal" position with regard to people who violate national and international laws".

Notably, A.Lapshin with double citizenship (Israeli and Russian) was arrested in Belarus on December 14 upon request of Azerbaijan security agencies.

According to statement from Azerbaijan Public Prosecutor Office, Alexander Lapshin, who holds citizenship of different countries, colluding and entering into criminal relationship with other persons residing in Azerbaijani territories occupied by Armenian armed forces and violating clauses of laws of the Azerbaijan Republic “On state borders” and “On passports”, entered occupied territories of the Azerbaijan Republic in April 2011 and October 2012 without proper documents, bypassing border checkpoints; he indicated “Nagorno Karabakh”, beside Azerbaijan and Armenia, among independent states, where he had travelled, on his personal page “http//puerrtto.livejournal.com”, aiming at international propagation of illegal political regime, and openly called for disintegration of internationally recognized territories of Azerbaijan Republic through his statement on April 6 and June 29 of 2016 supporting “independence” of illegal regime established on occupied territories of Azerbaijan.

Considering open calls of A. Lapshin against Azerbaijani state and elements of illegal crossing of border in his activities, the Office of Public Prosecutor of Azerbaijan started criminal investigation against him in accordance with clauses 281.2 (open statement against state) and 318.2 (illegal crossing of state border of Azerbaijan Republic) of Criminal Code of the Azerbaijan Republic and filed an international search request.

A.Lapshin was arrested by Belarusian law enforcement bodies. He extradited to Azerbaijan on February 7.