Russian Embassy officials in Baku have met with blogger Aleksandr Lapshin, who was extradited to Azerbaijan from Belarus on February 8.
Azerbaijani authorities said the visit by Russian officials was in accordance with Vienna convention rules and added that Lapshin was also given a medical examination.
Lapshin is being held in detention by Azerbaijani officials for illegally traveling to the breakaway Azerbaijani region of Nagorno-Karabakh in 2011-12 and for posting articles on his blog that allegedly call for the region's independence.
The Russian Foreign Ministry said on February 8 that Lapshin’s extradition "does not correspond to the spirit of friendly ties between allies -- Russia and Belarus."
The 40-year-old Lapshin is a resident of Moscow and writes a Russian-language blog called Life Adventures.
If Lapshin is convicted by judicial authorities in Azerbaijan, he could face up to eight years in prison.
