July 24, 2010 - 15:27 AMT
Azerbaijan developing tradition of awarding hero titles to subversives

Awarding the initiator of June 18 subversive attack on NKR Defence Army positions is meant for internal use. Azerbaijan is developing a tradition of awarding hero titles to subversives, Orinats Yerkir deputy chairman Mher Shahgeldyan stated, reminding of Azeri attempts to defend Ramil Safarov who hacked a sleeping Armenian officer to death.

As he told a news conference in Yerevan, it’s important that international community condemns Azeri subversive attack.

Mher Shahgeldyan also reiterated Armenia’s adherence to peaceful settlement of Karabakh conflict.

An Azeri recon element attempted to penetrate into Artsakh territory in the environs of Chaylu settlement, Mardakert region, on June 18, at 11.30 pm. As a result of retaliatory measures, the armed group was neutralized, leaving one dead and armament on the spot. The Armenian side lost 4 killed. 4 were injured.

On February 19, 2004, Armenian citizen Gurgen Margaryan, 26, was hacked to death while asleep by Ramil Safarov, a Lieutenant of the Azerbaijani Army. Both were participants of an English language training course within the framework of the NATO-sponsored Partnership for Peace program held in Budapest, Hungary.

On February 22, 2007 Budapest court rejected the Azerbaijani military officer's appeal against a life sentence for the 2004 axe murder of an Armenian student. The appeal court ruled that the decision brought by Budapest District Court against Lieutenant Ramil Safarov should stand.