By  Laman Ismayilova

The extradition of blogger Alexander Lapshin to Azerbaijan shows the political will and ability of the country’s leadership to take the boldest steps to defend the state interests.

Azerbaijani Deputy Prime Minister Ali Ahmadov announced about this while talking to reporters in Baku on February 8.

“I think this is one of those many facts proving that Azerbaijan is able to defend its state interests,” noted Ahmadov.

Alexander Lapshin, who has illegally visited the occupied Azerbaijani territories and entered into criminal conspiracy with Armenians living in the occupied territories, was extradited to Baku.

Lapshin is accused of violating Azerbaijani laws on state border in April 2011 and October 2012. In order to promote the illegal regime created in the Azerbaijani territories occupied by Armenia, Lapshin presented Azerbaijan’s Nagorno-Karabakh as an “independent state” on his social media account, and supporting the “independence” of the unrecognized regime he made public incitements aimed at violating Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity on April 6 and June 29, 2016.

Ahmadov further said that Azerbaijan has always demonstrated its unequivocal position with regard to the people who violate national laws, international laws and norms.

“I think that thanks to this position, we can ensure that each person who commits a crime will be brought to justice,” added Ahmadov.

Baku has repeatedly warned foreign officials and diplomats of unauthorized visits to its territories that are occupied by Armenia, calling them contradictory to international law.

Azerbaijan’s Foreign Ministry and diplomatic missions pay special attention to the illegal activity in the occupied areas of Azerbaijan. The work is constantly carried out to prevent such illegal actions.

Azerbaijan and Armenia for over two decades have been locked in conflict, which emerged over Armenian territorial claims. Since the 1990s war, Armenian armed forces have occupied over 20 percent of Azerbaijan's internationally recognized territory, including Nagorno-Karabakh and seven adjacent regions. The UN Security Council has adopted four resolutions on Armenian withdrawal, but they have not been enforced to this day.