MOSCOW, July 20 (RAPSI) – The Baku Court on Grave Crimes in Azerbaijan on Thursday sentenced blogger Alexander Lapshin, who has citizenship of Russia and Israel, to 3 years in prison for entrance to the breakaway Nagorno-Karabakh region without official sanction of Baku, RAPSI learnt in the court.

Lapshin was arrested in Belarus in late 2016. In February, he was extradited to Azerbaijan where he went on trial. He was charged with separatism propaganda, violating laws “On the state border of the Azerbaijan Republic” and “On Passports”.

According to Azeri prosecutors, he illegally entered Nagorno-Karabakh in 2011 and 2012 and as a result he was prohibited from visiting Azerbaijan. However, in 2016, he travelled to Azerbaijan using a Ukrainian passport. Spelling of his name in his Ukrainian passport differs from the other documents; therefore, he could skirt the ban.

Azeri authorities also claim that the blogger pushed for independence of Nagorno-Karabakh in his posts. Under Azeri law, calls for violation of territorial integrity are illegal.

Lapshin has pleaded guilty to the brought charges.