Interpol Rejects Azerbaijani Request for Arrest Warrant Against European Parliamentarian

Armenian Weekly

By Weekly Staff on

PRAGUE, Czech Republic— International police cooperation agency Interpol has rejected a request for an international arrest warrant to be served on a Czech Member of the European Parliament (MEP), reported Prague based Czech Radio.

Interpol refused the request for the arrest of MEP Jaromir Štětina following an appeal from authorities in Azerbaijan. The request was done following a visit by the MEP to Artsakh in February, during which Štětina denounced Azerbaijani authorities.

Jaromir Štětina

According to Czech Radio, Azerbaijan said his comments helped fuel heightened tensions in the Artsakh conflict. The Czech said that the demand for the arrest warrant was aimed at scaring off international experts and commentators against speaking out against Azerbaijan’s government.

In the past, Azerbaijan has also issued international arrest warrants against fellow MEPs Frank Engel of Luxembourg and Eleni Theocharous of Cyprus—both for visiting Artsakh.

Emil Lazarian

“I should like to see any power of the world destroy this race, this small tribe of unimportant people, whose wars have all been fought and lost, whose structures have crumbled, literature is unread, music is unheard, and prayers are no more answered. Go ahead, destroy Armenia . See if you can do it. Send them into the desert without bread or water. Burn their homes and churches. Then see if they will not laugh, sing and pray again. For when two of them meet anywhere in the world, see if they will not create a New Armenia.” - WS