January 25, 2017 - 14:07 AMT
Blogger appeals Belarus' decision on extradition to Azerbaijan

Russian-Israeli blogger Alexander Lapshin, who was detained in Minsk at the request of Baku, has appealed against the decision of Belarus' Prosecutor General's Office on his extradition to Azerbaijan, Assistant to the Chairman of the Minsk City Court Anastasia Shilvyan said, according to Belarusian media publications.

"The Minsk City Court has received an appeal filed by Lapshin against the decision," Shilvyan said.

"The appeal will be considered on January 26."

In mid-December 2016, Lapshin was detained in Minsk on the request of Azerbaijan, where he was included in a black list for a visit to Karabakh "without consent of the Azerbaijani authorities." After the visit, he had entered Azerbaijan through Georgia using a Ukrainian passport. Baku accused the blogger of violation of country's legislation and put him on an international wanted list.

After the prosecutor's office said he would be extradited to Baku, Lapshin signed a letter of apology addressed to Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev.

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