In an official response letter to Armenia’s Human Rights Defender Arman Tatoyan OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Dunja Mijatović has presented her position over the case of Russian-Israeli blogger Alexander Lapshin, Panorama.am reports.
The Ombudsman’s Office informs that D. Mijatović has particularly informed that she has followed Russian blogger and reporter Alexander Lapshin’s case since he was arrested on 15 December 2016.
According to Dunja Mijatović she is thoroughly informed that A. Lapshin will face grave punishments in Azerbaijan in case the Belarussian authorities extradite him. Thus she has for multiple times applied to the Permanent Representation of the Republic of Belarus to the OSCE, and has sent a letter to Belorussia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs expressing concerns over the fact that in case of being extradited to Azerbaijan Lapshin will face unfair treatment as a retaliation to his journalist activity and expressed opinions, including over the important human rights issues regarding the NKR conflict.
The source informs that Dunja Mijatović has assured the RA Ombudsman that she has applied to the Belarussian authorities urging them to pay special attention to the case so that Lapshin’s right of lawful journalistic activity is not restricted. She has also assured that she will follow the future developments of this case.
