Minsk: Armenian lawmakers` statements on extradition of Lapshin to  Azerbaijan are just emotions  

ArmInfo.Armenia is a friendly country to Belarus and the Armenian lawmakers' statements on the extradition of Russian-Israeli blog writer Alexander Lapshin to  Azerbaijan are just emotions, Belarusian Foreign Ministry Spokesman  Dmitry Mironchik has told RIA Novosti.    

"Belarus and Armenia are friendly countries and partners within  integration unions, including the CSTO.  Therefore, the statements  made in the Armenian Parliament are just emotions," he says.    

Mironchik notes that he is unaware of any unbalanced or insulting  statements made by Belarusian lawmakers about certain foreign  political steps of Armenia. "Though they could do it on various  occasions," he says.      

He points out that Belarus conducts a multilateral friendly policy,  strictly observing the international standards and performing its  legal obligations.   

On Feb 7 the Supreme Court of Belarus rejected Lapshin's complaint  about the legitimacy and substantiation of the decision of the Minsk  City Court, which declared the decision of the Belarusian Prosecutor  General's Office about extradition to Baku as legitimate. On Feb 7  evening Lapshin was sent to Baku.    

To recall, Alexander Lapshin was detained in mid-December in Minsk  upon Azerbaijan's request. Baku "blacklisted" Lapshin for visiting  the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic without coordinating his decision with  the Azeri authorities. On January 17, the Prosecutor General's Office  of Belarus satisfied Azerbaijan's request about Lapshin's  extradition. 

Russian Commissioner for Human Rights Tatyana Moskalkova thinks it is  unacceptable to extradite Russian blog writer, independent journalist  Alexander Lapshin to Azerbaijan. "According to Article 31.1 of the  Russian Constitution, a citizen of the Russian Federation cannot be  extradited to another state. The Russian Foreign Ministry and other  departments support my stand. At the same time, I would like to  remind the Russian citizens going abroad of the necessity to study  and observe the legislation of foreign states," Moskalkova said. On  Feb 3, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko said at a press  conference in Minsk that he considered the Court's decision to be  absolutely legitimate. "Azerbaijan applied to Interpol, not to us.   According to Interpol's decision, we detained him and should transfer  him to Azerbaijan according to the order and to all laws. We could  set him free, but it would be wrong, because we will be treated the  same way if we apply for the relevant structures to detain someone,"  he said.