The Gurgen Margaryan :trial:

[MosJan]

scream bloody murder... pay attention. you're also a human.. and please remember this day.. your friend did this.. and we told you .. you did nothing

[Yervant1]

HUNGARY ARMENIANS PLAN ERECTING GURGEN MARGARYAN'S MONUMENT IN BUDAPEST

15:32, 18 February, 2014

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 18, ARMENPRESS. An event dedicated to the 10th
anniversary of death of Armenian officer Gurgen Margaryan, who
was brutally killed by Azerbaijani criminal Ramil Safarov, will be
held on February 19 in the Armenian Cultural Centre of Hungary. In a
conversation with "Armenpress" the Chairman of the Armenian Cultural
Centre of Hungary Nikoghos Hakobyan stated that the representatives
of the Armenian community will place flowers by the cross-stone near
the Danube River. After, the Hungarian public activists, who paid
a visit to Armenia after Safarov's extradition and apologized to
Margaryan's parents, will perform speeches at the Armenian Cultural
Centre of Hungary.

Among other things the Chairman of the Armenian Cultural Centre of
Hungary Nikoghos Hakobyan underscored: "We are planning to erect a
monument dedicated to Gourgen Margaryan's memory in the academy. We
intend to apply to the Ministry of Defense for the permission, so
that we could start the activities." In addition, the Chairman of the
Armenian Cultural Centre of Hungary Nikoghos Hakobyan noted that the
application will be submitted after the elections.

Safarov, who was sentenced to life imprisonment for killing an Armenian
officer in his sleep in Budapest in 2004, was transferred back to
his home country on August 31, 2012 under an extradition agreement.

Although Azerbaijan formally pledged that the life sentence handed down
to him in Hungary would be directly continued when he was returned
to his homeland, the Azerbaijani president granted him a pardon and
formally recognized him as a "national hero" upon his arrival.

Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan announced the same day that Armenia
suspended diplomatic relations with Hungary.

http://armenpress.am/eng/news/750535/hungary-armenians-plan-erecting-gurgen-margaryans-monument-in-budapest.html

[Yervant1]

REMEMBERING GURGEN MARGARYAN: 10 YEARS AFTER THE BRUTAL MURDER - VIDEO

13:45 19.02.2014

Armenian Officer Gurgen Margaryan was murdered in Hungary on this
day ten years ago. On this occasion the "Azerbaijan: Crime and Racism
without Borders" video-footage in Russian and English has been released
as part of the "Common Genocide" project."

The film presents the story of the brutal murder, the axe-killer's
extradition to Azerbaijan and his glorification. The Hungarian
version of the video will be posted on the web in the near future. The
"Common Genocide" project is being realized by the Public Relations
and Information Department of the President's Staff.

On February 19, 2004 Lieutenant of the Armenian Armed Forces Gurgen
Margaryan 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 NATO-sponsored Partnership
for Peace program.

In 2006, Safarov was sentenced to life imprisonment in Hungary with a
minimum incarceration period of 30 years. He was extradited on August
31, 2012 to Azerbaijan where he was greeted as a hero, pardoned by
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev despite contrary assurances made
to Hungary, promoted to the rank of major and given an apartment and
over eight years of back pay.

Following Safarov's pardon, Armenia severed diplomatic relations
with Hungary.

http://www.armradio.am/en/2014/02/19/remembering-gurgen-margaryan-10-years-after-the-brutal-murder/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ualn6CqJltU

[Yervant1]

SAFAROV'S EXTRADITION WAS BIG MISTAKE BY HUNGARIAN GOVERNMENT: POLITICAL FIGURE

14:41, 19 February, 2014

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 19, ARMENPRESS: The extradition of the Azerbaijani
assassin Ramil Safarov, who axe-murdered Armenian officer Gurgen
Margaryan during the NATO courses in Budapest, was a big mistake by the
government of Hungary. It was more than a mistake, as it "poisoned"
the Hungary's relations with Armenia and other countries of the
world. The president of the Hungarian Honorary Consular Corps Gyorgy
Suha told Armenpress about it. "The Armenian-Hungarian relations and
friendship have a historic value. It is very important to restore the
diplomatic relations with Armenia. Armenia is our friendly country
and we have a general history and share common values", - said the
Hungarian political figure.

According to him, the extradition of Ramil Safarov was a political
decision and did not have any legal background. "We should solve the
diplomatic issues diplomatically and find urgent solutions for the
restoration of the relations", - said Gyorgy Suha.

An event dedicated to the 10th anniversary of death of Armenian officer
Gurgen Margaryan, who was brutally killed by Azerbaijani criminal
Ramil Safarov, will be held on February 19 in the Armenian Cultural
Centre of Hungary. The representatives of the Armenian community will
place flowers by the cross-stone near the Danube River.

After, the Hungarian public activists, who paid a visit to Armenia
after Safarov's extradition and apologized to Margaryan's parents,
will perform speeches at the Armenian Cultural Centre of Hungary.

On February 19 2004 in Budapest Azerbaijani assassin Ramil Safarov,
who axe-murdered Armenian officer Gurgen Margaryan while sleeping
with 16 blows, when they were participating in NATO English Language
Courses in the capital of Hungary, was sentenced to life imprisonment
without right to be pardoned for 30 years. On August 31 2012 Safarov
was extradited from Hungary to Azerbaijan and was pardoned by the
President Ilham Aliyev. The murderer was advanced to major, provided
with an apartment and given "national hero" and compensated for the
8 years of the imprisonment in Hungary. Armenia suspended diplomatic
relations with Hungary.

The extradition, pardoning and release of Safarov were condemned by
many countries and authoritative organizations of the world.

http://armenpress.am/eng/news/750693/safarov%E2%80%99s-extradition-was-big-mistake-by-hungarian-government-political-figure.html

[MosJan]

10th anniversary of Armenian officer Gurgen Margaryan's axe-murder
Lieutenant of the Armenian Armed Forces Gurgen Margaryan, 26, was hacked to death, while asleep, by a fellow Azerbaijani participant.

February 19 marks the 10th anniversary of the murder of Armenian officer Gurgen Margaryan.
February 19, 2014

PanARMENIAN.Net - 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 NATO-sponsored Partnership for Peace program.

On April 13, 2006, Budapest District Court sentenced Safarov to life in prison for murdering Margaryan. On February 22, 2007, Budapest Court rejected the Azerbaijani military officer's appeal against the verdict, precluding possibility of pardon for the initial 30 years.

By a decree of then-President of Armenia, Robert Kocharian, officer Margaryan was awarded with a posthumous Medal for Courage on February 19, 2005.

In 2012, Safarov was extradited to Azerbaijan and pardoned by Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev.

Official Yerevan reacted by suspending diplomatic ties with Hungary. Hungary, however, stated that it had sent Safarov back to Azerbaijan after receiving assurances from the Azerbaijani Justice Ministry that Safarov's sentence, which included the possibility of parole after 25 years, would be enforced.

Hungary’s Prime Minister Victor Orban first stated that he transferred the prisoner to Azerbaijan on the understanding that he would serve out the rest of his life sentence in his home country. In later statements, Orban admitted that he not only signed the extradition agreement himself, but that he had repeatedly been warned that if Safarov were extradited to oil-rich Azerbaijian, he would be pardoned and even celebrated by Ilham Aliyev's brutal dictatorial regime. According to some reports, Safarov was extradited to Azerbaijan in exchange for Azeri purchase of Hungarian securities worth Euro 2-3 billion, an information official Budapest denies.

“Hungarian prime minister is “morally bankrupt” and should resign after admitting that he personally approved the transfer of the Azeri axe murderer while knowing the likely consequences,” the leader of the opposition Socialists said.

Attila Mesterhazy said it was clear from Orban’s comments that he had been aware that Azerbaijan would release the life-sentenced Ramil Safarov after his repatriation.

“Armenian officer Gurgen Margaryan’s assassin Ramil Safarov fulfilled Azerbaijan’s state order,” lawyer Nazeli Vardanyan said.

“I am of the same opinion as I was eight years ago. It was a state order,” she said.

According to her, Azeri authorities from the very beginning were actively involved in the lawsuit, trying hard to mitigate Safarov’s sentence.

“Azerbaijan even established an embassy in Budapest, with representatives of Azeri and Turkish embassies present at court hearings,” Ms. Vardanyan said, adding that Safarov was later announced a national hero in Azerbaijan.

In this context, she quoted Azerbaijan’s Ombudsman Elmira Suleymanova and Azeri President Ilham Aliyev as saying, “Safarov must set an example for the young generation” and “Armenians must be killed in Nagorno Karabakh.”

[MosJan]

chgitem jisht e te sut

 

"Շտապ ... Բաքվում սպանվել է Ռամիլ սաֆարովը
http://statictab.com/wkqw24x
Շտապ ... Բաքվում սպանվել է Ռամիլ սաֆարովը http://statictab.com/wkqw24x"

[Yervant1]

Is it possible that they want him dead? May be they will kill him and blame the Armenians!!!!!!

 

Baku, Azerbaijan, April 29 2014

By Elchin Mehdiyev - Trend:

Azerbaijani serviceman Ramil Safarov's safety is fully being ensured, Azerbaijani Presidential Administration's Deputy Head and Director of Administration's Foreign Relations Department, Novruz Mammadov told media on April 29.

Mammadov made the remarks after Armenian media disseminated a report regarding Ramil Safarov.

"The Armenian sources disseminate different information in the press. There is no need to react to all this," he said. "Ramil Safarov is an Azerbaijani citizen. His safety is fully ensured, he's not in danger."

In his article on the so-called "Armenian genocide", Armenian writer Haykazn Ghazarean wrote that Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan ordered the head of the National Security Service Gorik Hakobyan to assassinate Ramil Safarov.

Safarov was born in Jabrail region of Azerbaijan on August 25, 1977. Safarov, who participated in NATO exercises in Hungary in 2004, was accused of killing Armenian officer Gurgen Margaryan, who insulted the Azerbaijani flag. Safarov was sentenced to life imprisonment without parole for 30 years upon the verdict of the Budapest court.

The Azerbaijani officer, convicted in Hungary, was extracted to Azerbaijan on August 30, 2012. He was pardoned upon the president's order.

Translated by NH
Edited by S.I.

 

[MosJan]

Is it possible that they want him dead? May be they will kill him and blame the Armenians!!!!!!

 

shat hnaravora Yervand jan ..

[MosJan]

PACE panel adopts resolution condemning Azeri murderer release
PACE panel adopts resolution condemning Azeri murderer release
May 29, 2014 - 17:03 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net - The Committee on Legal Affairs and Human rights of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) has adopted a resolution condemning the use of Article 12 of the European Convention on the Transfer of Sentenced Persons for the extradition and release of Azeri axe murderer Ramil Safarov, “as a violation of the principles of good faith in international relations and of the rule of law”.

As member of the Armenian delegation to PACE, Arpine Hovhannisyan said in a Facebook post, Azerbaijan could not understand that distortion of facts is doomed to failure. “The Azerbaijani delegates even tried to frustrate adoption of the resolution, bringing forth ridiculous arguments,” she said.

“I would like to thank the rapporteur for unbiased presentation of the document and to thank our European colleagues for voting for this resolution, in accordance with their principles and consciousness,” Hovhannisyan said.

The Convention on the Transfer of Sentenced Persons provides for the transfer of foreign prisoners to their home countries. Its purpose is primarily humanitarian, to improve prospects of rehabilitation and reintegration of prison inmates into society.

The draft resolution adopted, based on the report by Christopher Chope (United Kingdom, EDG), notes with concern that the Convention was invoked in order to justify the immediate release upon transfer to Azerbaijan of Ramil Safarov, an Azerbaijani soldier convicted for murdering a fellow Armenian participant of a NATO “Partnership for Peace” training course in Hungary. Upon his arrival in Azerbaijan, he was welcomed as a national hero, granted an immediate pardon, long before the expiry of the minimum sentence set by the Hungarian court, a retroactive promotion as well as other rewards.

The text underlines that the Convention “is not designed to be used for the immediate release of prisoners upon return to their own country”. It underscores the importance of “applying the Convention in good faith and, in interpreting its provisions, adhering to the principles of the rule of law”, in particular in transfer cases that might entail political or diplomatic implications.

[MosJan]

PACE resolution condemns Azeri axe-killer Safarov release
PACE resolution condemns Azeri axe-killer Safarov release
May 28, 2014 - 15:41 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net - PACE’s Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights’s condemned the use of Article 12 of the European Convention on the Transfer of Sentenced Persons by Azerbaijan in the case of axe murderer Ramil Safarov, “as a violation of the principles of good faith in international relations and of the rule of law”, the COE official website reported.

The Convention on the Transfer of Sentenced Persons provides for the transfer of foreign prisoners to their home countries. Its purpose is primarily humanitarian, to improve prospects of rehabilitation and reintegration of prison inmates into society.

The draft resolution adopted, based on the report by Christopher Chope (United Kingdom, EDG), notes with concern that the Convention was invoked in order to justify the immediate release upon transfer to Azerbaijan of Ramil Safarov, an Azerbaijani soldier convicted for murdering a fellow Armenian participant of a NATO “Partnership for Peace” training course in Hungary. Upon his arrival in Azerbaijan, he was welcomed as a national hero, granted an immediate pardon, long before the expiry of the minimum sentence set by the Hungarian court, a retroactive promotion as well as other rewards.

The text underlines that the Convention “is not designed to be used for the immediate release of prisoners upon return to their own country”. It underscores the importance of “applying the Convention in good faith and, in interpreting its provisions, adhering to the principles of the rule of law”, in particular in transfer cases that might entail political or diplomatic implications.

The draft resolution should be presented for debate to the Assembly later in 2014.

[MosJan]

ԵԽԽՎ-ն ընդունել է Սաֆարովին ներում շնորհելու համար Ադրբեջանին դատապարտող բանաձեւ
16:57, 19 Նոյեմբեր, 2014

ԵՐԵՎԱՆ, 19 ՆՈՅԵՄԲԵՐԻ, ԱՐՄԵՆՊՐԵՍ: Եվրոպայի խորհրդի խորհրդարանական վեհաժողովի մշտական հանձնաժողովը դատապարտել է Ադրբեջանին այն հարցում, որ վերջինս, օգտագործելով ԵԽ կոնվենցիաներից մեկը, դատապարտյալ Ռամիլ Սաֆարովին էքստրադիցիայից անմիջապես հետո ազատ է արձակել: Ինչպես հաղորդում է «Արմենպրես»-ը` այս մասին տեղեկացնում է ԵԽԽՎ պաշտոնական կայքը:

Միացյալ Թագավորության պատգամավոր Քրիստոֆեր Չոպի զեկույցի հիման կազմված և Բրյուսելում անցկացված քննարկումների արդյունքում ընդունված բանաձևում նշվում է, որ «Դատապարտված անձանց արտահանձնման մասին» կոնվենցիայի 12-րդ հոդվածի կիրառումը ադրբեջանցի սպա Ռամիլ Սաֆարովի դեպքում «միջազգային հարաբերություններում բարեխիղճ սկզբունքների և օրենքի գերակայության խախտում է»:

Բանաձևում նշվում է, որ Ռամիլ Սաֆարովը ՆԱՏՕ-ի դասընթացների շրջանաներում հայ սպա Գուրգեն Մարգարյանին սպանելու համար 2007 թվականին դատապարտվել էր ցմահ ազատազրկման` 30 տարի առանց ներման իրավունքի: Հունգարիայում 8 տարի բանտարկված մնալուց հետո նա արտահանձնվել էր Ադրբեջանին այն կոնվեցնիայի հիմունքներով, որը թույլ է տալիս օտարերկրացի կալանավորներին, մարդասիրական նկատառումներից ելնելով, տեղափոխել իրենց երկիր: Սակայն Ադրբեջան հասնելուն պես Սաֆարովին դիմավորել էին իբրև ազգային հերոսի և համաներում շնորհել նրան: ԵԽԽՎ մշտական հանձնաժողովի ընդունած բանաձևում նշվում է, որ կոնվենցիան չի նախատեսում անմիջապես ազատ արձակել բանտակայլներին հայրենիք վերադարձնելուց հետո:

2004թ. փետրվարի 19-ի գիշերը Ռամիլ Սաֆարովը թաքուն մտել էր Գուրգեն Մարգարյանի սենյակը եւ կացնահարել քնած հայ սպային: Երկարատեւ դատական գործընթացից հետո 2006թ. ապրիլին Սաֆարովը Բուդապեշտի դատարանի կողմից ցմահ ազատազրկման էր դատապարտվել` 30 տարի առանց ներման իրավունքի: Հունգարական դատարանը բազմիցս էր հայտարարել Սաֆարովի` հայրենիքին արտահանձնելու անհնարինության մասին, սակայն 2012թ. օգոստոսի 31-ին Սաֆարովին արտահանձնեցին Ադրբեջանին, որտեղ մարդասպանին նախագահ Ալիևն անմիջապես ներում շնորհեց, զինվորական բարձր կոչում տվեց և միանվագ վճարեց 8 տարվա աշխատավարձը: Նույն օրը պաշտոնական Երեւանը խզեց դիվանագիտական հարաբերությունները Բուդապեշտի հետ:

© 2009 ARMENPRESS.am

[MosJan]

datapartel te voch inch tarberutyun ??

[Yervant1]

18:10 19/02/2015 » SOCIETY

“Azerbaijan: crime and racism without borders”: Video-footage dedicated to 10th anniversary of Gurgen Margaryan’s killing

Today, on February 19, is the 11th anniversary of the day when during the NATO trainings held in Budapest, Hungary, Armenian officer Gurgen Margaryan was murdered. The criminal, officer of Azerbaijani Armed Forces Ramil Safarov, who was participating in the same courses, axed sleeping Margaryan 16 times at night by an ax bought beforehand. On April 13, 2006 the Hungarian court sentenced the murderer to life imprisonment without a clemency petition right to be received during the first 30 years.
To the 10th anniversary of Gurgen Margaryan’s murder in the frameworks of "Ordinary Genocide" project a video-footages has been prepared called "Azerbaijan: Racism has no borders." The footage is in English and Russian. It concisely presents the history of murder which had shocked the world, as well as the subsequent transfer and glorification of Safarov in Azerbaijan.
The "Ordinary Genocide" project is being implemented by the Information and Public Relations Center under the RA President’s administration.
The news about the extradition of Ramil Safarov to his homeland and pardon by the Azerbaijani president Ilham Aliyev broke out on August 31, in 2012. Because of Safarov’s extradition to Azerbaijan the president of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan announced the suspension of diplomatic relations with Hungary. Safarov’s extradition, pardon, and glorification in Azerbaijan was condemned by the US president Barack Obama, US State Department, Ministries of Foreign Affairs of Russia and France, Secretary General of Council of Europe, Secretary General of CSTO, NATO, and international human rights organizations. In addition to that, European Parliament adopted a condemning resolution.

Source: Panorama.am

[Yervant1]

ARMENIAN COMMUNITY PLANS TO INSTALL MEMORIAL PLAQUE HONORING GURGEN MARGARYAN

13:07, 19.02.2015

YEREVAN. - The Armenian community of Hungary plans to install a
memorial plaque on the building where Gurgen Margaryan was killed 11
years ago, deputy chairman of the Armenian organization of Hungary
Nikoghos Hakobyan told Armenian News-NEWS.am.

There is a khachkar in Budapest, and the Armenians and representatives
of Hungarian NGOs honor memory of Gurgen Margaryan by bringing flowers
to the khachkar, he said.

The organization has already addressed Hungary's Defense Ministry
with a request to install a memorial plaque on the building where
Armenian soldier had been killed, and they are expecting the formal
reply from the Ministry.

Ramil Safarov, a then-lieutenant in the Azerbaijani military, was
extradited on August 31, 2012 from Hungary, where he was serving a
life sentence for the premeditated axe murder of Armenian lieutenant
Gurgen Margaryan, in his sleep, during a NATO Partnership for Peace
program in Budapest back in 2004.

Ramil Safarov's return to Baku was welcomed, as was his act of murder,
by the officials of president Ilham Aliyev's government and much of
Azerbaijani society

And Armenia's President Serzh Sargsyan announced on August 31, 2012
that Armenia is suspending its diplomatic ties with Hungary.

http://news.am/eng/news/253398.html

[Yervant1]

STATE DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL VISITS ARMENIAN GENOCIDE MEMORIAL

18/2/15

Assistant Secretary of State Victoria Nuland (center) carries flowers
to the Dzidzernagapert Armenian Genocide Memorial in Yerevan,
accompanied by U.S. and Armenian diplomats and the Director of
the Armenian Genocide Museum Hayk Demoyan. Feb. 18, 2015. (Photo:
official publication)

Discusses Regional Issues on Visit to Armenia

YEREVAN--"America cares deeply about its partnership with Armenia,"
U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Victoria Nuland told reporters in
Yerevan on Wednesday, Armenpress reports. "For more than 20 years
we have supported the democracy, independence, economic growth and
prosperity and we intend to develop this further," she said.

Assistant Secretary Nuland said she was honored to meet with Armenian
President Serzh Sarkisian, Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian,
and civil society representatives and to visit the Dzidzernagapert
Armenian Genocide Memorial in Yerevan.

"Within the framework of the visit we discussed the relations with
all neighbors. I would like to say that from the American perspective
we are confident that the normalization of relations between Armenia
and Turkey will remain important for both countries and for peace and
stability in the region. We'll enhance the efforts in that direction,"
Nuland said.

"It's important that Armenia has not withdrawn from the process and
it's important to us that the process may continue," Nuland said.

Nuland visited Dzidzernagapert and laid flowers at the monument
commemorating the victims of the Armenian Genocide. The Director of
the Armenian Genocide Museum Hayk Demoyan welcomed and accompanied
Nuland and the delegation she led.

Nuland met with Armenia's Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian and
expressed gratitude for Armenia's active involvement in U.S.-led
peacekeeping missions.

Speaking about the Karabakh conflict, the two parties agreed once
again that the all possible efforts must be made to achieve a peaceful
resolution of the conflict.

Nuland also talked about the Azerbaijani commandos arrested in
Stepanakert, calling what they did a "horrible crime." At the same
time, Nuland called on Artsakh's authorities to make a "humanitarian
gesture," ostensibly calling on them to release the prisoners back
to Azerbaijan, but did not go into details.

The ANCA's Executive Director Aram Hamparian responded to Nuland's
comments in a statement, saying, "Any U.S. dialogue with Azerbaijan
regarding prisoner issues must be predicated upon Azerbaijan first
agreeing to an American demand for the re-incarceration of Ramil
Safarov, an admitted and unapologetic Azerbaijani axe-murderer who was
pardoned, praised, and promoted by Ilham Aliyev after having killed
an Armenian officer in his sleep during a NATO training exercise
in Hungary."

"The spectacle of Azerbaijan publicly honoring yet more killers of
Armenians would -- in addition to being a moral outrage -- further
destabilize the region, inciting anti-Armenian hatred, emboldening
Aliyev's aggression, and undermining prospects for peace."

Hamparian also commented on Nuland's visit to Dzidzernagapert,
commending the visit, but at the same time calling on the White House
to stop hindering the recognition of the Armenian Genocide.

"We value Assistant Secretary Nuland's visit to the Armenian Genocide
Memorial as a symbol of American solidarity with the Armenian nation,
while also recognizing - with great regret - the profound and ongoing
moral and material harm of the gag-rule imposed by Turkey, and still
enforced by our White House, that prevents American diplomats from
speaking honestly and forthrightly about this crime."

"Then Senator Obama spoke to this issue very pointedly in 2008, when
he said: 'An official policy that calls on diplomats to distort the
historical facts is an untenable policy.' The painful irony, of course,
is that the truth that Senator Obama once championed he now prohibits
as President. The time for this century-long farce to end is now. It's
time for President Obama to finally honor his pledge: 'As President
I will recognize the Armenian Genocide,'" concluded Hamparian.

Nuland also met with Armenia's President Serzh Sarkisian. The two
discussed U.S.-Armenian relations and agreed on the interest of both
parties for further collaboration between the two countries.

http://asbarez.com/131887/state-department-official-visits-armenian-genocide-memorial/

[Yervant1]

EUROPEAN COURT: AZERBAIJAN AND HUNGARY ANSWERABLE OVER CASE OF RAMIL SAFAROV RELEASE

22:40, 27 Jan 2016
Siranush Ghazanchyan

The Governments of Azerbaijan and Hungary have been asked by the
European Court of Human Rights to respond formally to a case brought
by the relatives of Armenian army officer Gurgen Margaryan, who was
murdered by Azerbaijani officer Ramil Safarov in Budapest in 2004. Mr
Margaryan's relatives are represented by European Human Rights Advocacy
Centre (based in Middlesex University), Legal Guide(Armenian NGO)
and Nazeli Vardanyan, reports the European Human Rights Advocacy Centre

Both men were attending a NATO-sponsored English-language course
in Budapest. On 19 February 2004 Safarov murdered Mr Margaryan by
decapitating him with an axe. In April 2006 Safarov was found guilty
of murder by the Budapest City Court, and was sentenced to life
imprisonment, with the possibility of conditional release after 30
years. The court found that Safarov had intended to kill two Armenian
participants at the course on the anniversary of the beginning of the
conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan over the Nagorno-Karabakh
region. After the Court of Appeal upheld this judgment in February
2007, Safarov began serving his sentence in a Hungarian prison.

In August 2012 the Hungarian Minister of Justice approved Safarov's
transfer to Azerbaijan with a view to his serving his sentence there
(under the Council of Europe Convention on the Transfer of Sentenced
Prisoners 1983). However, a few hours after Safarov was transferred on
31 August 2012, he was granted a pardon by the Azerbaijani President
and set free. He was also promoted to major, awarded eight years'
salary arrears and offered a flat.

In a report published in December 2012, the Hungarian Ombudsman
criticised the Hungarian Government for approving the transfer before
any assurances about the treatment of Safarov had been received from
the Azerbaijani authorities.

The victim's family argue that Gurgen Margaryan's right to life
(Article 2 of the European Convention on Human Rights) has been
violated by Azerbaijan - both because of his murder, and also
because Ramil Safarov's pardon has prevented the full enforcement
of his sentence. They also argue that Mr Margaryan was the victim
of an ethnically-motivated hate crime, which was later endorsed by
Safarov's pardon and release (in breach of Article 14 together with
Article 2 of the Convention). In addition, they argue that Hungary
has breached Article 2 of the Convention because it allowed Safarov to
be transferred to Azerbaijan, without having obtained assurances that
he would be required to complete his prison sentence in Azerbaijan.

The case is also brought by Hayk Makuchyan, an Armenian military
officer whom Ramil Safarov was convicted of intending to murder during
the same incident in Budapest.

Both governments are required to lodge their responses with the
Strasbourg Court by May. The Court has also invited the Armenian
Government to submit its comments, given Mr Margaryan's nationality.

On 26 January 2016 the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of
Europe voted not to adopt a resolution on "Escalation of violence in
Nagorno-Karabakh and the other occupied territories of Azerbaijan",
based on a report by the British former member of the Assembly,
Robert Walter. The draft resolution (which called on Armenia to
withdraw from Nagorno-Karabakh as part of the Minsk process) was
rejected by 70 votes against, 66 in favour and 45 abstentions.

On 16 June 2015, the Grand Chamber of the European Court found that
both Armenia and Azerbaijan had violated the European Convention
rights of civilian victims of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict as they
have been prevented from returning to their homes and land which they
lost in the early 1990s. The Court has required the Governments to
set up property restitution mechanisms for the victims of the conflict.

The cases are discussed by Philip Leach in his blog here. The
implementation of the judgments will be considered by the Committee
of Ministers of the Council of Europe in June 2016.

In December 2015, Thorbjørn Jagland, the Secretary-General of the
Council of Europe, opened an official inquiry into Azerbaijan's
implementation of the European Convention on Human Rights (under
Article 52 of the Convention).

http://www.armradio.am/en/2016/01/27/european-court-azerbaijan-and-hungary-answerable-over-case-of-ramil-safarov-release/

[Yervant1]

REMEMBERING GURGEN MARGARYAN: 12 YEARS AFTER THE BRUTAL MURDER

14:08, 19 Feb 2016
Siranush Ghazanchyan

Armenian Officer Gurgen Margaryan was murdered in Hungary on this
day twelve years ago.

On February 19, 2004 Lieutenant of the Armenian Armed Forces Gurgen
Margaryan 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 NATO-sponsored Partnership
for Peace program.

In 2006, Safarov was sentenced to life imprisonment in Hungary with a
minimum incarceration period of 30 years. He was extradited on August
31, 2012 to Azerbaijan where he was greeted as a hero, pardoned by
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev despite contrary assurances made
to Hungary, promoted to the rank of major and given an apartment and
over eight years of back pay.

Following Safarov's pardon, Armenia severed diplomatic relations
with Hungary.

The Governments of Azerbaijan and Hungary have been asked by the
European Court of Human Rights to respond formally to a case brought
by the relatives of Armenian army officer Gurgen Margaryan.

https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__www.armradio.am_en_2016_02_19_remembering-2Dgurgen-2Dmargaryan-2D12-2Dyears-2Dafter-2Dthe-2Dbrutal-2Dmurder_&d=CwIFaQ&c=clK7kQUTWtAVEOVIgvi0NU5BOUHhpN0H8p7CSfnc_gI&r=LVw5zH6C4LHpVQcGEdVcrQ&m=WRaMeOTzXFaL7sdx6i2LeeYYlnhPB2GchGT_vQ7UGIo&s=z2kU6T7Y1cxFX-9NrmGHkibAWVcuy4P6ricbr2PPC-4&e=

[Yervant1]

Call to involve Armenia as third party in Gurgen Margaryan murder trial

13:53 ¢ 20.02.16
https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__www.tert.am_en_news_2016_02_20_gurgen-2Dmargaryan-2Dcase_1938157&d=CwIFaQ&c=clK7kQUTWtAVEOVIgvi0NU5BOUHhpN0H8p7CSfnc_gI&r=LVw5zH6C4LHpVQcGEdVcrQ&m=DgdknW77pvRDOjbF06ZbN6As4X645VTe0DgPYAkvoJU&s=QYb8xG4VaGO20L3l6bjERh5OQUCcN9zT7qYMRzYhyeU&e=


Armenia's first ombudsperson on Saturday highlighted the need of
involving the country as a third party in the Gurgen Margaryan murder
trial in the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR).

At a news conference devoted to the tragic incident's 12th
anniversary, Larisa Alaverdyan said she finds the Armenian authorities
have all the grounds to raise such a demand on the necessary level.
`In the past six months, the ECtHR has four to five times considered
matters of the kind. As for Gurgen Margaryan's case, it isn't for now
possible to predict the Court's ruling, however, Armenia's efforts
will be essentially significant,' she told reporters on Saturday.

Comparing the Azerbaijani authorities' conduct with the Islamic
State's policies, Alaverdyan said she sees that both that country and
the Islamic militant group demonstrate a blatant contempt for the
laws. `Azerbaijan is in breach of all the human rights and all the
international laws, disrespecting the values of civilization. That's
what their policies demonstrate,' she added.

Hrant Melik-Shahnazaryan, the political analyst also attending the
news conference, described Azerbaijan's blatant Armenophobia as part
of that country's official policy line, citing the axe-killer's
glorification in Baku as the most vivid example proving that.

`Safarov's extradition and glorification as a hero [in 2012] changed
the situation, the moment becoming a turning point in terms of
stalling the negotiation process,' he said, calling for the
Azerbaijani authorities' accountability for the willful act.

The expert further stressed the need of giving a proper attention to
Azerbaijan's propaganda. `It is the right time for Armenia to focus,
apart from the legal [aspect], also on the propaganda efforts to
demonstrate to the international community what Azerbaijan wishes to
really achieve,' he added.

[Yervant1]

Political scientist: Safarov's extradition and glorification had a
crucial impact on the negotiation process

14:15, 20 February, 2016


YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 20, ARMENPRESS. The glorification of the murderer
Ramil Safarov in Azerbaijan had a turning effect on the Nagorno
Karabakh peace process, political scientist Hrant Melik-Shahnazaryan
informed during a press conference on February 20. "The murder of
Gurgen Margaryan with an ax during his sleep is an obvious display of
Armenophobia. The glorification of this murderer in Azerbaijan is also
a clear expression of hatred towards Armenians. The glorification of
Safarov had a turning effect on stopping the negotiation process ", -
reports `Armenpress", quoting the political scientist.

He believes that the Azerbaijani authorities have to clarify for the
international community the glorification of a criminal. "It is time
that Armenia focuses on the propaganda issue, apart from the legal
side, and show Azerbaijan's true face to the international community,"
Hrant Melik-Shahnazaryan added.


https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__armenpress.am_eng_news_836676_political-2Dscientist-2Dsafarovs-2Dextradition-2Dand-2Dglorification-2Dhad-2Da-2Dcrucial-2Dimpact-2Don-2Dthe-2Dnegotiation.html&d=CwIFaQ&c=clK7kQUTWtAVEOVIgvi0NU5BOUHhpN0H8p7CSfnc_gI&r=LVw5zH6C4LHpVQcGEdVcrQ&m=54AtEi3Nr0Mdj5UbR8H48_UGJq59Mzch43rxKlXDJa8&s=3c9q7lJ7PSXwCGCLlf13DUtnzj3uQjVedMYU35KBArQ&e=

[Yervant1]

“Ramil Safarov was to be murdered to understand that we have not
failed.” Hovhannes Sahakyan

May 3 2016

“A country whose first face and leader could give a high military rank
to Ramil Safarov years ago and pay lump sum wages for eight years and
make a national hero for axing a sleeping Armenian soldier, the nature
and character of this nation is already clear and open before
everyone. There is no need for a special assessment or
interpretation,” so thinks Republican MP Hovhannes Sahakyan.

MP is sure that if Ilham Aliyev had not awarded the person who
beheaded Kyaram Sloyan and the perpetrators of such crimes in general,
no one would fight in the Azerbaijani army, “Awarding for savage
actions, with separate funding to rouse the interest in different
ways, they are trying to make some moves. It is not we to assess, all
this is before the eyes of the entire international community, and it
is the international community that must give an estimate, that even
the war situation Azerbaijani leadership encourages the soldiers. It
is a bright evidence of the oversight and the problems that Ramil
Safarov beheaded Gurgen Margaryan in the daylight in front of the
international community and after holding a trial in the heart of
Europe he was taken to Azerbaijan and at the same moment the murderer
was cynically treated as a hero in front of all international “fair”
community. This was to be the result of all that, let them wait for
new Safarov and multiplication of criminal gangs.”

To our observation that there are opinions that if the Armenian side
had not allowed oversight in the case of Safarov case and made
appropriate actions for bringing Azerbaijan to responsibility, perhaps
there would be no awarding to the person who beheaded Kyaram Sloyan,
Mr. Sahakyan continued, “We allowed oversight in one thing: we should
not have gone to the international community once again to present
something, it is all the same, it seems that the double standard in
such matters has become a common practice for the international
community but Ramil Safarov must be murdered at least in Azerbaijan to
make them understand that we have not failed, otherwise, all other
actions are meaningless irrespective of whether we have failed or
not.”

Arpine SIMONYAN

https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__en.aravot.am_2016_05_03_176346_&d=DQIFaQ&c=clK7kQUTWtAVEOVIgvi0NU5BOUHhpN0H8p7CSfnc_gI&r=LVw5zH6C4LHpVQcGEdVcrQ&m=lsWkUMoerD5N2qPU6SaVL1S0jJfOq4AjpSTSckOgWeo&s=CKMoCqxv4wq7yqdSt8bjNXNof69hikMN4E1CqLVT5Hs&e=

[Yervant1]

BBC: Azerbaijanis’ animosity and hatred for Armenians sometimes
reaches unimaginable level

POLITICS 10:30 26/05/2016 REGION

Currently, there are hard times for the beautiful Karabakh, as the
Karabakh conflict broke out with a new force in April, journalist
Rayhan Demytrie reports in a BBC program The Fifth Floor.

The journalist particularly speaks about her first visit to the
Nagorno Karabakh Republic (NKR) in 2015. Then, she visited settlements
close to the frontline and met a local woman, who told her that people
there lived with constant fears of the war starting again.

A year later, in April 2016, Demytriewent back to the same villages
and it was quite shocking for her to see that there was a grad rocket,
which landed not far from the house of the woman she had met a year
ago. The entire village was evacuated, and she watched with horror how
people were leaving in a rush.

Demytrie notes that at first glance,it is impossible to imagine how
deep the conflict is. Sometimes, the Azerbaijanis’ animosity and
hatred for Armenians reaches an unimaginable level.

For example, an Azerbaijani soldier undergoing training in Hungary in
2004 axe-murdered a sleeping Armenian military officer.It was a
cold-blooded murder. There was a trial, he was jailed; however, in a
few years, the Azerbaijani authorities brought this person back
promising that he would serve the remaining of his sentence at home.
He was greeted in his country as a national hero, and his photograph
is in every school in Azerbaijan. “It is absurd that this person is
considered a hero, only because he axe-murdered a sleeping man,”
Demytrie says in the interview with the BBC.

In 2004, the Armenian officer GurgenMargaryan took part in the
three-month English courses of the NATO titled "Partnership for Peace"
in Budapest. He was killed on 19 February, early in the morning.
Murderer, Azerbaijani officer RamilSafarov struck in the face of
sleeping Armenian officer with an ax for 16 times. Subsequently he was
recognized as imputable by the Hungarian court and was sentenced to
life imprisonment without right of pardon for 30 years. On August 31
it was stated that RamilSafarov will be extradited to his fatherland
and was pardoned by the decree of Azerbaijani President IlhamAliyev.

In Azerbaijan, the pardoned murderer RamilSafarovwas met as a hero, he
was given a department and was paid and officer salary for the 8 years
he had spent in prison. In addition, Azerbaijan’s Defense Minister
awarded Safarov with a special rank of mayor wishing him “further
success.”
In connection with the extradition of Safarov to Azerbaijan, Armenian
President SerzhSargsyan announced a termination of diplomatic
relations with Hungary.

U.S. President Barack Obama, the U.S. Department of State, Foreign
Ministries of Russia and France, Secretary General of the Council of
Europe, Secretary General of the CSTO, NATO and international
organizations of human rights condemned Safarov’s extradition,
pardoning and glorification in Azerbaijan. On September 13, European
Parliament adopted the resolution of condemnation too.

To the 10th anniversary of GurgenMargaryan’s murder, in the frameworks
of "Ordinary Genocide" project, a video-footage has been prepared
called "Azerbaijan: Racism has no borders." The footage is in English,
Russian, and Hungarian. It concisely presents the history of a murder,
which shocked the world, as well as the subsequent transfer and
glorification of Safarov in Azerbaijan. It is significant that the
authors chose a part of Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 7 (called
Leningrad) known as invasion of fascists as the soundtrack.

The "Ordinary Genocide" project is being implemented by the
Information and Public Relations Center under the RA President’s
administration.

https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__www.bbc.co.uk_programmes_p03vr0n3&d=DQIFaQ&c=clK7kQUTWtAVEOVIgvi0NU5BOUHhpN0H8p7CSfnc_gI&r=LVw5zH6C4LHpVQcGEdVcrQ&m=JgZ6TjN5y7LSuJsMelcl2qYYhRRdhwQHmOnnh1Uq3WE&s=gUh8TRnoLNsHVO0U1c2suzbtm20aNwxFPuAdxJA73Os&e=


https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__www.panorama.am_en_news_2016_05_26_BBC-2DAzerbaijan_1585305&d=DQIFaQ&c=clK7kQUTWtAVEOVIgvi0NU5BOUHhpN0H8p7CSfnc_gI&r=LVw5zH6C4LHpVQcGEdVcrQ&m=JgZ6TjN5y7LSuJsMelcl2qYYhRRdhwQHmOnnh1Uq3WE&s=ok3-H9M3VHLWz7Qxl_tzReju5kHxPhmvQod4qCEnvb0&e=

[MosJan]

http://asbarez.com/166148/azerbaijani-slush-fund-linked-to-safarov-extradition/

Azerbaijani Slush Fund Linked to Safarov Extradition

 

BUDAPEST, Hungary—An investigation by a Hungarian news agency reveals that Azerbaijan has used a $3 billion slush fund to facilitate the release and extradition Azerbaijani ax murder Ramil Safarov, who brutally murdered an Armenian soldier, Gurgen Markarian, with an ax during NATO exercises in Hungary in 2004.

An investigation by the Hungarian news site Átlátszó.hu revealed that several bank transfers – totaling more than $7 million – were made to an MKB bank account in Budapest right around the time the Hungarian government handed over Safarov to the Azerbaijan.

According to Átlátszó.hu, the Budapest bank account belonged to an offshore company owned by the son of an influential Azeri politician and got an infusion of more $7 million in 2012 around the time of the Safarov release and extradition......................

 

 

[MosJan]

The existence of the almost $3 billion slush fund used by high-level Azerbaijani officials to launder money and bribe politicians in European countries was revealed on Monday by the British The Guardian newspaper, which is a news outlet partnering with the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project that published an extensive investigation, entitled “The Azerbaijani Laundromat.” The OCCRP report detailed that over a two-year period, more than $2.9 billion had passed through certain UK-0based shell companies – Polux Management LP, Hilux Services LP, Metastar Invest LLP, and LCM Alliance LLP – that “are part of a larger constellation of companies set up by unscrupulous agents to launder and steal large amounts of money” on behalf of Azerbaijan’s ruling elite.

 

The MKB Bank account belonged to a Velasco International Inc., which received the $7 million infusion of cash from Metastar Invest LLP, one of the shell companies used to hide the slush fund identified by the OCCRP report.

Velasco International was incorporated in the Virgin Islands and is owned by Azerbaijani deputy prime minister Yacub Eyubov’s son, Orhan Eyubov, whose name is continuously referenced in “The Azerbaijani Laundromat.”

In June 2012, when Hungarian Prime Minister Victor Orban visited Azerbaijan, he was greeted by the elder Eyubov before meeting with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev . “The Azerbaijani Laundromat” report said that “there is ample evidence of its [the slush fund’s] connection to the family of President Ilham Aliyev.”

Meanwhile, Metastar Invest LLP is the company that reportedly paid Luca Volonte, a member of the Parliamentary Assembly of Council of Europe, known as PACE, who is facing prosecution in Italy for allegedly accepting 2.4 million euros to defend Azerbaijani interests in Italy and within PACE. In 2013, Volonte vocally defended the Hungary’s new constitution, which curtailed people’s individual rights, and accused those who criticized official Budapest of carrying out a “witch hunt.”

On Wednesday, Hungary’s Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó categorically rejected the allegations by Átlátszó.hu, the Hungarian investigative journalism organization.

“In the firmest possible way, I reject any inference or insinuation which make a connection between the Hungarian foreign policy decisions and the aforementioned international criminal actions,” Szijjártó said. “I really hope we uncover the truth of what happened very soon.”

On Tuesday, after “The Azerbaijani Laundromat” was published, Aliyev’s press secretary accused the “Armenian lobby” of working with American billionaire George Soros, to wage ”a smear campaign against the president of Azerbaijan and members of his family.”

[Yervant1]

Didn't know Soros was a friend of Armenians! Wow what else is new? I should have posted this in the Comedistan section meaning the ridicule section.

[Yervant1]

Armenpress News Agency , Armenia
October 4, 2017 Wednesday


Hungarian government would not extradite Safarov to Azerbaijan if they
were not paid for that – MEP



YEREVAN, OCTOBER 4, ARMENPRESS. MEP Frank Engel gave an interview to
Hungarian “Budapest Beacon” speaking about the recently revealed
“Azerbaijani Laundromat”, touching upon Hungaria’s role and
participation in the money laundering process.

ARMENPRESS reports the MEP spoke about the arrest, verdict and later
the extradition of Azerbaijani Ramil Safarov who was charged for
murdering Armenian officer Gurgen Margaryan in Hungary with an axe
when the latter was asleep.

“But since I knew what kind of Hungarian government had come into
office in 2010, I wasn’t that surprised. And my first thought, of
course, knowing Azerbaijan, was that they (the Hungarian government)
had been bought!”, Engel said.

He stated that former Prime Minister of Hungary Ferenc Gyurcsány
didn’t hand Safarov over when he was in power.“And when I spoke to
Gyurcsány, he told me they didn’t do it because they had all the
reasons to believe he would be instantly set free by Azerbaijan”,
Frank Engel added.

“This man, Safarov, had committed a heinous crime on Hungarian soil.
He was convicted by a Hungarian court to serve a criminal sentence in
a Hungarian prison for a long time. The Hungarians were not just going
to hand him over to the Azerbaijanis — before the return to power of
Fidesz”, the MEP said.

He told that former Prime Ministers Ferenc Gyurcsány and Gordon Bajnai
have told him how the Azerbaijani government tried to persuade them to
extradite Safarov - first orally, then in the written promise that he
would serve out the sentence that was pronounced by the Hungarian
court.

“The difference, of course, is that neither Gyurcsány nor Bajnai
believed these obviously false promises. Then comes Viktor Orbán and –
miraculously – after an official state visit to Azerbaijan, Safarov is
back home a few weeks later. Nobody can tell me this had nothing to do
with money”, the MEP stressed, adding that there could be no reason
for which Orbán and the government led by him would have worsen
relations with Armenia if they were not paid for that.