Lapshin Asked for Apology?

The blogger Alexander Lapshin, who was arrested in Minsk on demand from Baku, apologized in writing to the President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev not for visiting Karabakh, but for the personal insult. This was stated by the head of the group for the protection of Lapshin's rights, lawyer Ara Ghazaryan.

"He really appealed to Aliyev and asked for forgiveness, but only because he paid a personal insult. Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh are not mentioned in the letter,” RIA Novosti quoted Ghazaryan.

The Consul of Israel in Belarus Yulia Racinski-Spivakova previously reported that in her presence Lapshin signed "a letter addressed to the President of Azerbaijan, in which he apologizes for his actions." At the same time the Consul noted that the Israeli diplomatic mission coordinates all activities with the Embassy of Russia, as Lapshin is also a Russian citizen. According to the Consul, Israel's official position is: ‘We are opposed to the extradition of the blogger and we believe that he should be released.’

Official Baku has not commented on the fact of Lapshin’s writing a letter of apology.

Recall that on January 17 the General Prosecutor's Office of Belarus decided to extradite Lapshin to Azerbaijan.

In mid-December 2016 Lapshin, who is a national of Russia and Israel, was detained in Minsk on request of Azerbaijan for illegally crossing the border, as well as appeals against the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan.

In addition, in 2015 Lapshin entered Azerbaijan through Georgia on a false Ukrainian passport. -02D-