Azerbaijan Issues International Arrest Warrant for Dan Bilzerian for Visiting Artsakh

YEREVAN –Azerbaijani authorities have launched a criminal case against internet personality and playboy millionaire Dan Bilzerian for visiting Artsakh, the country’s prosecutor’s office said.

The famous American-Armenian poker player known as the “King of Instagram” is charged with “illegally” visiting Nagorno Karabakh, “illegally” acquiring grenades, a gun and other firearms and demonstratively opening fire.

Dan Bilzerian paid a three-day visit to Armenia with his brother Adam and his father Paul, where he gained Armenian citizenship and registered for military service. He then headed for Nagorno Karabakh, where he demonstrated his shooting skills at a shooting range, firing various large caliber weapons, including an RPG. After returning back to Yerevan he visited the Armenian Genocide memorial and then left the country.

Azerbaijan has requested Interpol to declare Bilzerian internationally wanted.

However, this move contradicts an earlier statement from the foreign ministry of Azerbaijan. Hikmat Hajiyev, the Azeri foreign ministry spokesperson, has earlier said that he refuses to comment on Bilzerian’s visit, dismissing it as “unserious”.