YEREVAN (A.W.)—In a recent interview with an Azerbaijani television station, Turan TV, Israeli blogger and traveler Alexander Lapshin talked about his experience in prison. In particular, he discussed how he was treated by doctors.
As reported by Sputnik Armenia, Lapshin described the overall experience as quite tolerable, largely because he did not come down with any serious illnesses, but recounted an experience with a dentist who refused anesthesia to Lapshin.
“I had a problem with my teeth, probably a result of bad food. My teeth started to crack and break. They took me to a doctor,” he said. The dentist, laughing, apparently explained that “Armenian spies don’t get any anesthesia.”
“It was very painful and unpleasant; moreover, I’m not an Armenian spy, and I considered it unnecessary to joke in that manner,” added Lapshin.
He added that although he was not tortured, other prisoners would threaten and ridicule him, calling him an “Armenian prostitute.”
Answering a question about why had he decided to visit Artsakh in the first place, the blogger said: “I find all places interesting, including Artsakh, Abkhazia, Rwanda. I served at the border of Israel and Syria, in military bunkers, wearing a helmet and with a rifle in my hands. The topic of military has always been interesting to me.”
Below is the original interview.
(Video: Turan TV)
Lapshin, who was detained by Belarusian authorities at the request of the Azerbaijani Government at the end of Dec. 2016, was extradited to Azerbaijan to serve three years in prison on a charge related to his 2011 and 2012 visits to Artsakh. International protest emerged following his arrest, and last September he was pardoned by Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev.
This is yet another indication of how the Azeri authorities deal with anyone they think is sympathetic to Armenians.
And they treat Armenians even worse: torture, mutilation, decapitation, and more.
If Azeris are ever let back into Artsakh as a result of a “peace” agreement, expect a civil war and Azeri military intervention which no “guarantor” power will lift a finger to stop.
By that time, Azerbaijan will have a population of 15 million, while the Armenian population will be down to who-knows-what.
In fact, that’s the Azeri plan.
30 years of Armenian struggle down the drain.
Is that what you want?
Do not be too concerned with the population of Azerbaijan. As they say, “devil is in the details”. Azerbaijan does not own the rights to all of its oil. Probably they only have a 20-24% stake in it as of right now. If you really research you will see they overestimate (lie about) their stakes in the various oil fields. It is part of their propaganda. Their oil industry is described as “opaque”, no transparency. If you look at their proven oil reserves and their production rates, you will notice that if they have a high production rate they will run out of oil within 15 years. Also recall what their economy was like when oil prices dropped, massive inflation, no trading of the manat, and taxes were taken off bread and other foods. Their economy is one-dimensional and they cannot sustain their population as it is with very low oil prices, one can only speculate what it will be like when they run out of oil and if their population is at 15 million.
Armenia on the other hand has more potential, the only trouble is corruption and a ridiculous tax system. If taxes were lowered and simplified and corruption was curtailed, Armenia could double its economy within 8 years IMO. Smaller countries develop must faster.
Didn’t expect anything humain from these animals anyway!
This man should be invited by the Armenian president and given a hero’s welcome parade in Yerevan Square. This man endured horror at the hands of Azeri criminal Aliyev regime, who’s himself is known to honor convicted axe murders and ISIS fighters, all because Lapshin went to Artsakh and exposed the Azeri regime in his blog, yet chose to stay on the side or what is truth, moral and just, even after his horrible ordeal. The world needs more Lapshin’s.