Lapshin tells court about his recognition of Azerbaijan's territorial integrity

Alexander Lapshin, a blogger, has announced, at the session of the Baku Court on Grave Crimes, the tourist nature of his trips to Nagorno-Karabakh, and refused to admit his guilt.

According to the prosecution, Lapshin had visited Nagorno-Karabakh twice by violating the Azerbaijani state border; in his publications he represented Nagorno-Karabakh as an independent state.

At the court session, Alexander Lapshin has stated that he treats these territories as integral parts of Azerbaijan. "Along with that, he said that he had called Nagorno-Karabakh as 'independent' not as a state, but as a geographical territory; and used the term 'Artsakh' along with 'Karabakh' as a sign of respect for both nations," said a participant at the court session.

"Five forced migrants from Nagorno-Karabakh and other occupied Azerbaijani territories spoke as witnesses to the trial; they said that the activities of people like Lapshin, who are propagandizing separatism and occupation, hinder the peaceful settlement of the conflict and their return to their homeland," said Eduard Chernin, an advocate.

According to his story, Lapshin feels fine, but continues staying at the SIZO (pre-trial prison) under doctors' supervision.

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