MINSK, Belarus (RFE/RL)—Ignoring warnings from Russia and Armenia, on Feb. 3, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko told law-enforcement authorities in Belarus to extradite to Azerbaijan a Russian-Israeli blogger arrested by them because of his trips to Nagorno-Karabagh (NKR/Artsakh).
Lukashenko defended the December 14 arrest and said the blogger, Alexander Lapshin, should have been handed over to Baku “long ago.”
“Azerbaijan appealed to Interpol, not to us,” the Interfax news agency quoted him as telling a news conference. “We detained him in accordance with Interpol’s decision and must hand him over to Azerbaijan in accordance with all laws and regulations.”
The Azerbaijani authorities say Lapshin illegally entered “occupied territories of Azerbaijan” when he visited Karabagh in 2011 and 2012 without their permission. The 40-year-old, who holds Israeli, Russian and Ukrainian passports, gave detailed accounts of the trips on his Russian-language blog.
A court in Minsk upheld last week Belarusian prosecutors’ decision to authorize Lapshin’s extradition. He appealed against that ruling.
“They say that he appealed but I’m sure that the court will still back our decision because it’s legal,” said Lukashenko.
The Belarusian leader, who has faced strong Western criticism of his human rights record throughout his long rule, made clear at the same time that he would accept any agreement on the Lapshin case that could be reached by Azerbaijan, Israel and Russia.
Lapshin was detained in Minsk two weeks after Lukashenko visited Baku and received Azerbaijan’s highest state award from President Ilham Aliyev. The two presidents have long maintained a warm personal rapport.
Lukashenko ruled out Lapshin’s release from Belarusian custody despite Russia’s objections to the blogger’s extradition, which were first publicly expressed by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov last month.
The Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman, Maria Zakharova, reiterated earlier on Feb. 3 that Lapshin’s handover to Baku is “inadmissible.” According to the RIA Novosti news agency, Zakharova said Moscow is engaged in “intensive contacts” with the Belarusian authorities on the matter.
Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian condemned Lapshin’s prosecution as a “disgrace” on Jan. 31. Both Armenia and Belarus are members of the Russian-led Eurasian Economic Union and Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO).
Lukashenko defied the criticism amid rising tensions between Moscow and Minsk that have been triggered by a fresh dispute over the price of Russian oil and gas supplied to Belarus.
The 62-year-old Lukashenko condemned Russia’s decision earlier this week to step up controls on the Russian-Belarusian border. He accused the Kremlin of violating treaties between the closely linked neighbors and using energy supplies to “grab us by the throat.”
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Is it true that Interpol will put on its list anyone that any country asks to be put on its list, such as Lapshin (not that it would matter to this brute, Lukashenko)?
You know who the head of Interpol is? A man named Meng Hongwei, a Chinese national. Go to Interpol dot int.
Nice to have a man from a country that has such freedom and democracy, huh?
Another megalomaniac with a mafia mindset.
Awards given by the azeri’s speak for itself. The man obviously has had some deal with the azeri authorities. Pity. Now what about that useless organisation called the UN? wonder if they would make any moves to stop this pathetic display by belarus. Shame on them.
The area being contested was occupied by 95% Armenians when the EVIL Soviet dictator Stalin gave it Azerbaijan, I think it was 1924. Then the Armenians fought a war for their independence. How can the powers that be still consider it Azerbaijan territory.
I guess the U.S. must still be considered British territory under similar circumstances.
“A warm personnal rapport with Aliev” that says it all. Corrupt as they are both, Aliev’s petrodollars are welcome.
off topic//
Armenians and other Christians have fled Iraq because of ISIL. A horrible situation. Under Obama very few of them could come into the United States. What do you suggest be done to help these people?
https://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/9888/persecuted-christians
Belarus is in the CSTO, the usless Russian fraternity make beleive organization of nobody important. Same Belarus that is corrupt and horrible human right violator that also recently claimed Azerbaijan’s ‘territorial integrity”. Armenia needs to distance themselves from this garbage country and from the CSTP as long as Belerus is there That simple. How long would Azerbaijan be in group with any one country that works againt it? NOT LONG. Politically, Yerevan leaders are sometimes stupid and exceptionally weak. Time to cut the cord. If nothing else, as a statemet of protest. Or you are WEAK!