18:00, 7 April 2017

Arrest of blogger Lapshin extended until July 15

Alexander Lapshin. Photo: Sputnik/Murad Orujov

Today, the court in Baku has decided to extend the custody of Alexander Lapshin, extradited from Belarus to Azerbaijan, by other three months.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that in December 2016, Lapshin was detained in Belarus at the request of Azerbaijan; and on February 7, he was placed into SIZO (pre-trial prison) in Baku.

Eduard Chernin, one of Lapshin's advocates, has reported that today the Nasimi District Court of Baku has considered the presentation of the Investigating Department for Grave Crimes of the General Prosecutor's Office (GPO) of Azerbaijan asking to extend the arrest of Lapshin by three months.

According to Mr Chernin, the GPO motivated this request by the need to conduct "additional investigative actions."

The advocated has added that Lapshin has no complaints about his custody conditions and health.

Alexander Lapshin, a citizen of Russia, Ukraine and Israel, is accused by Azerbaijan of visiting the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (NKR), which is treated by Azerbaijan, as its occupied territory, and of public statements in support of the NKR’s independence. He faces up to eight years in prison.

The Embassy of Israel "is carefully tracing the developments in the Lapshin’s case," and Embassy’s officials are often visiting the blogger, Dan Stav, the head of the Israeli diplomatic mission, said on April 6.

Full text of the article is available on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’.

Author: Faik Medzhid

Source: CK correspondent