The Prosecutor’s Office of Belarus decision on granting Baku’s request for Russian Israeli blogger Alexander Lapshin’s extradition to Azerbaijan will be appealed. 

Lapshin’s attorney informed about the aforesaid to Armenian News-NEWS.am.

The lawyer noted that the said decision was made on January 17, whereas the blogger—who is in custody in Belarus—was briefed on this decision on January 18.

Pursuant to Belarusian laws, attorneys may appeal a decision within ten days.

“The decision certainly will be properly appealed during that time,” stressed Lapshin’s attorney.

After his visits to Nagorno-Karabakh (Artsakh) in 2011 and 2012, famous blogger 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.

On December 15, 2016, he was detained in the Belarus capital city of Minsk, and based on this international search.

Baku demands his extradition to Azerbaijan, and for visiting Artsakh.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, and US Department of State Spokesperson John Kirby, however, had spoken against Lapshin’s detention and such extradition, noting the importance of upholding freedom of speech.