Judicial investigation on blogger Lapshin's case ends

By Rashid Shirinov

The trial on blogger Alexander Lapshin, detained in Azerbaijan, continued in the Baku Grave Crimes Court on July 12.

At the trial presided over by judge Alovsat Abbasov, the judicial investigation was completed and the state prosecutor requested time for his speech.

The trial will continue on July 14.

Earlier, the blogger answered the questions and said that he visited the occupied Azerbaijani territories twice.

Lapshin pleaded not guilty at the trial held under the chairmanship of Abbasov.

Blogger Lapshin illegally visited Azerbaijan’s Armenia-occupied lands and now is charged under the articles 281.2 (appeals directed against state) and 318.2 (illegal border crossing) of the Criminal Code of Azerbaijan. He violated Azerbaijani laws on state border in April 2011 and October 2012.

Helped by his accomplices in the occupied territories, Lapshin paid a number of visits to Azerbaijan`s occupied lands, where he voiced support for "independence" of the illegal regime, and made public calls against Azerbaijan`s internationally recognized territorial integrity on April 6 and June 29, 2016.

The blogger was arrested in Minsk in late 2016 and transferred to Baku in February 2017.

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Rashid Shirinov is AzerNews’ staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @RashidShirinov

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