Council of Europe Investigating Armenia Banning Blogger Lapshin’s Entry

On 5 April 2026, Russian-Israeli blogger and journalist Alexander Lapshin was denied entry to Armenia upon arrival at Yerevan airport. According to public statements by Lapshin, Armenian authorities refused him entry after previously declining to issue him an electronic visa. Lapshin stated that officials referred to an interview he had conducted with a former Armenian prisoner of war concerning allegations of torture in Azerbaijani detention. He also suggested that the decision may have been linked to earlier requests by the Belarusian authorities concerning him. Armenian authorities have not publicly provided detailed grounds for the entry ban beyond visa-related explanations reported in the media. The blogger had previously been detained several times in Armenia following requests from Belarusian authorities, who reportedly sought his extradition. In February 2026, an Armenian court reportedly found that the Belarusian charges against him were incompatible with Armenian legal norms.

Follow-up actions expectedThe authorities are invited to provide information on the legal and factual grounds for the refusal of entry imposed on Alexander Lapshin, including whether his journalistic activities or public commentary played any role in the decision. The authorities are also invited to clarify the safeguards in place to ensure that restrictions affecting journalists and bloggers are necessary, proportionate and compatible with freedom of expression obligations under Article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights.

Tha Armenian government has until August 12, 2026 to respond to the Council of Europe’s inquiry.