An authorized representative of the US Department of State reminded Azerbaijan about press freedom.
US State Department reminds Azerbaijan about press freedom
STEPANAKERT, JANUARY 18, ARTSAKHPRESS: When asked—during Tuesday’s press briefing—about the case involving well-known blogger Alexander Lapshin—whom Azerbaijan wants to extradite to the country, US Department of State Spokesperson John Kirby responded, in particular, as follows: “First, I’d say this is really something for the relevant countries to speak to (…). Obviously, press freedom is important to us,” reported News.am, referring to RIA Novosti news agency of Russia.
To note, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov had stated that Moscow will try to resolve this matter concerning Israeli and Russian citizen Lapshin, who was detained in Belarus, and for visiting Nagorno-Karabakh (Artsakh).
In Lavrov’s words, Moscow is against criminalizing journalists’ or individuals’ visiting a territory, and against a Russian citizen, who was detained in another country, being extradited to a third country.
On December 15, 2016, Alexander Lapshin was detained in the Belarus capital city of Minsk, and based on Azerbaijan’s international search and extradition request, due to his visiting Artsakh.
The media report that the Belarusian authorities plan to extradite the well-known blogger to Azerbaijan.
