YEREVAN. – The arrest and extradition of the popular blogger Alexander Lapshina cannot affect the work of journalists and human rights in Nagorno-Karabakh, Human Rights Defender (Ombudsman) of Armenia, Arman Tatoyan stated.

 “The fact of extradition of Alexander Lapshin is obviously connected with infringement of freedom of speech. Handcuffs which appeared on Lapshin immediately after his extradition to Azerbaijan, as well as armed people in masks accompanying him, already demonstrate that actions contain elements of unacceptable treatment,” Arman Tatoyan emphasized, urging to activate visits to Nagorno-Karabakh.

Earlier on Tuesday, the Supreme Court of Belarus upheld the decision of the Prosecutor General on extraditing Alexander Lapshin to Azerbaijan.

After his visits to Nagorno-Karabakh (Artsakh) in 2011 and 2012, Alexander Lapshin was “blacklisted” by Azerbaijan. In June 2016, however, he paid a visit to Azerbaijan, but with a Ukrainian passport. Subsequently, he issued several articles criticizing the Azerbaijani authorities. Afterward, the Azerbaijani authorities issued an international search for this famous blogger. And on December 15, 2016, he was detained in the Belarus capital city of Minsk, and based on this international search.

On January 26, the Minsk city court dismissed the complaint of blogger Alexander Lapshin over the decision of the Belarusian prosecutor’s office to extradite him to Azerbaijan.

The Supreme Court of Belarus on Tuesday dismissed the complaints filed in the case of blogger Alexander Lapshin.

According to the experts and human rights defenders, Lapshin’s case may become a horrible precedent limiting the freedom of speech of foreigners and freedom of movement of Armenian citizens.

 On Tuesday evening Blogger Alexander Lapshin was brought to Baku.