YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 8, ARMENPRESS. Deputy Speaker of the Parliament, Co-Chairman of the Armenian-Belarussian parliamentary friendship group Eduard Sharmazanov says the extradition of blogger Alexander Lapshin from Belarus to Azerbaijan is a “dirty deal”, reports “Armenpress”.

In a meeting with reporters, Sharmazanov said that dirty deal between the two countries is a violation of democratic values, the person’s right to freedom of speech, the citizen’s right to free movement and doesn’t derive from the logic of regional peace.

“Moreover, this is a step not typical for democratic regimes. This is a step which is against the Armenian-Belarussian political relations level. As a chairman of the Armenian-Belarussian parliamentary committee, I must say that this step doesn’t derive neither from the Armenian-Belarussian relations nor the Russian-Belarussian relations, since Mr. Lapshin is also a citizen of Russia”, Sharmazanov said.

Asked is he going to discuss the issue with the Belarussian partners, Sharmazanov said: “At least at this moment I don’t find it appropriate to sit around a table and discuss this issue since the committee is a platform for friendly cooperation, and this is obviously not a friendly step and doesn’t derive from our relations. But you don’t doubt our parliamentary partners will raise this issue through various channels”, he said, adding that Armenia has used all possible diplomatic measures to prevent Lapshin’s extradition.

Alexander Lapshin, the Russian-Israeli blogger who was extradited from Belarus to Azerbaijan on February 7, has been placed in the isolation cell in Azerbaijan’s state security service.

Lapshin was flown to Baku from Minsk on a special flight, escorted by state security agents. A group of reporters were waiting for Lapshin in Baku’s airport, but Lapshin didn’t give any comment to them.

A news correspondent reported from the airport that Lapshin is in a serious mental condition and he didn’t respond to the questions of journalists.

The Belarus Supreme Court denied Lapshin’s appeal on the extradition verdict issued by the General Prosecutor of Belarus.

Lapshin faces up to 5 years imprisonment in Azerbaijan, under charges of “public calls against the state”, and “unauthorized crossing of borders”.

Belarus police arrested Alexander Lapshin on December 15, 2016 in Minsk. Lapshin, a Russian and Israeli citizen, resides in Moscow and writes for the famous Russian Travel Blog. He is wanted by Azerbaijan for visiting Nagorno Karabakh in 2011, 2012 and 2016, and criticizing Azerbaijan’s policy in his blog.

Baku demanded the extradition of Lapshin from Belarus.

Earlier it was reported that the Deputy Prosecutor General of Belarus has made a decision to uphold the request of Azerbaijan’s General Prosecutor on extraditing Citizen of Russia and Israel Alexander Lapshin, who is wanted for violating Articles 281.2 and 318.2 of Azerbaijan’s Criminal Code.

Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko said on February 3 : “Belarus has no grounds to not extradite Lapshin to Azerbaijan”. He said the issue will be solved based on law and international agreements.

The Russian foreign ministry said it is inadmissible to extradite Russian citizens to third countries.