Hungary’s Armenians demand prosecution for Safarov extradition officials

September 14, 2012 - 21:35 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net - Armenian National Autonomy of Hungary issued a statement urging to prosecute those responsible for extradition of Azeri criminal Ramil Safarov convicted for axe-murdering an Armenian officer in Budapest.

In its statement, the organization expressed regret over the frozen Armenia-Hungary ties. The Autonomy, however, slammed Hungarian authorities’ decision to extradite the murderer, yielding to Azeri pressure, also pointing out the violation of the 983 Strasbourg convention.

The organization further urged to prosecute those responsible for Safarov extradition, condemning Baku’s heroization of a criminal.

In conclusion, the Autonomy called on the international community to recognize Artsakh independence.

Gurgen Margaryan

On February 19, 2004, Lieutenant of the Armenian Armed Forces Gurgen Margaryan, 26, was hacked to death, while asleep, by a fellow Azerbaijani participant, lieutenant Ramil Safarov, in Budapest during a three-month English language course in the framework of Partnership for Peace NATO-sponsored program. In accordance with Budapest District Court sentence dated April 13, 2006, Ramil Safarov was life imprisoned for murdering the Armenian officer.

On February 22, 2007, Budapest Court rejected the Azerbaijani military officer's appeal against a life sentence. The appeal court ruled that the decision brought by Budapest District Court against 30-year-old Lieutenant Ramil Safarov, should stand.

On August 31, 2012, Hungary extradited Safarov back to Azerbaijan, where he was promptly pardoned by President Ilham Aliyev.