MFA: Belarus faithfully fulfilled its obligations with Lapshin's extradition

Baku. 9 February. REPORT.AZ/ Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Belarus commented on the issue of the extradition of blogger Alexander Lapshin to Azerbaijan.

Report informs citing the BelTA, spokesman of the Ministry ofForeign Affairs of Belarus Dmitry Mironchik said that Belarus faithfully fulfilled its international obligations by extraditing blogger A. Lapshin.

"Extradition is a question that lies exclusively in a legal plane. Treaties must be respected", D. Mironchik said.

Notably, according to the statement from Azerbaijan Public Prosecutor's 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.

As a result of activities carried out by law enforcement bodies of Belarus, A.Lapshin was detained. On February 7 he was extradited to Azerbaijan.