Armenia’s Ombudsman on extradition of blogger Alexander Lapshin

Armenia’s Ombudsman Arman Tatoyan issued a statement over extradition of Russian-Israeli blogger Alexander Lapshin from Belarus to Azerbaijan, the Ombudsman’s Office informed.

The statement reads, “The arrest and extradition of Alexander Lapshin cannot have any significance for the work of reporters and human rights advocates in Nagorno Karabakh. This work has been considered and will always be considered as legitimate: this is the principle. A. Lapshin’s extradition fact is obviously linked with the infringement on freedom of speech.

After immediately being appeared under Azerbaijan’s control, the journalist’s wearing handcuffs and accompanied by masked forces, as well as the wider release of this event are already an evidence of obvious features of banned attitude towards him. Promoting the visits of international journalists, human rights advocates to Karabakh, contributing to the participation of the NKR democratic institutions in the international meetings must be one of the major directions of everyone’s work. There is no alternative to carry out fundamental works on this path.”