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Belarus faithfully honored its international commitments as it extradited blogger Alexander Lapshin to Azerbaijan, spokesman for the Belarusian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Dmitry Mironchik told reporters on February 9, according to the local BelTA agency.

“Extradition is a purely legal matter. Belarus faithfully honored its international commitments with respect to the international legal assistance agreement. Agreements must be observed,” Dmitry Mironchik pointed out, as quoted by the agency.

To remind, Russian-Israeli blogger Alexander Lapshin was extradited to Azerbaijan on Tuesday, hours after the Supreme Court of Belarus upheld a lower court ruling to extradite him. Lapshin was detained in Minsk in December. He was put on an international wanted list at Azerbaijan’s request after visiting the Nagorno Karabakh Republic (NKR) and criticizing the Azerbaijani leadership.

Armenia’s Foreign Ministry slammed the persecution of Alexander Lapshin and his extradition to Azerbaijan as “a gross violation of human rights and fundamental freedoms of speech and movement.”

Belarusian MFA spokesperson also replied to the comment of the head of the RPA ruling party fraction at National Assembly Vahram Baghdasaryan, suggesting to raise the issue of suspending Belarus membership to the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO).

“Membership or non-membership in the Collective Security Treaty Organization is absolutely voluntary and is a result of an independent, sovereign choice of this or that country. As you know, Belarus made its choice. The suggestions of expulsion from the CSTO have no legal grounds,” the diplomat pointed out.