International police cooperation agency Interpol has rejected a request for an international arrest warrant to be served on a Czech Member of the European Parliament (MEP), reported Prague based Czech Radio.
Interpol refused the request for the arrest of MEP Jaromir Štětina following an appeal from authorities in Azerbaijan. The request was done following a visit by the MEP to Artsakh in February, during which Štětina denounced Azerbaijani authorities.
According to Czech Radio, Azerbaijan said his comments helped fuel heightened tensions in the Artsakh conflict. The Czech said that the demand for the arrest warrant was aimed at scaring off international experts and commentators against speaking out against Azerbaijan’s government.
In the past, Azerbaijan has also issued international arrest warrants against fellow MEPs Frank Engel of Luxembourg and Eleni Theocharous of Cyprus—both for visiting Artsakh.