WATERTOWN,Mass. (A.
W.)— Russian-Israeli blogger Alexander Lapshin’s extradition to Baku on Feb. 7 has been widely criticized in Nagorno-Karabagh (NKR/Artsakh), Armenia, and Russia,Israel, the United States, or around the world. Laphin behind bars (Photo: Interfax) Artsakh Ombudsman Ruben Melikyan was quick to condemn the decision to extradite Lapshin. “Demonstrative prosecution of Lapshin is an attack [on] free speech and freedom of movement. Should be condemned in the strongest terms,” Melikyan tweeted moments after Lapshin’s extradition. “Lapshin’s case is a black-and-white issue. Oppression v. freedom. Human Rights defenders and journalists should visit NKR more as a response,” Melikyan added in a separate tweet. Lapshin was detained in Baku in the evening of Feb. 7 after the Supreme Court of Belarus upheld the decision of the lower court to extradite him. The NKR Foreign Ministry released a statement shortly after the extradition calling the incident a flagrant violation” of the fundamental rights to the freedom of movement and freedom of speech. “Intending to hand over Alexander Lapshin to Azerbaijan at the request of Baku, and based on the trumped-up and politically biased case,the Belarusian authorities demonstrate that they assign political benefit above democratic norms and principles of legitimacy and justice,” read a allotment [...]
Source: armenianweekly.com