Author: Badalian Vardan

Azerbaijani administration decision to release murderer contradicts to
Strasbourg Convention goals

news.am
September 01, 2012 | 21:55

YEREVAN. – The attempts of Baku to justify the fact of granting pardon
to murderer Ramil Safarov based on Strasbourg Convention are baseless
and as monstrous as issuing amnesty and releasing the murderer, who is
sentenced for life in prison and honoring him, Armenian deputy FM
Shavarsh Kocharyan told Armenpress.

`The scandalous action by the Azerbaijani authorities contradicts not
only to the Convention’s humanitarian goals but also to the human
rights of the European system,’ Kocharyan said.

Ha also stated that Azerbaijan’s efforts to shadow the international
norms and to adapt them to its own hostility, racist `value system’
are condemned to failure. They can only put in the same dimension the
disgusting murderer and the Azerbaijani authorities, honoring him, he
concluded.

Piquet participants demand closure of Harsnakar

Piquet participants demand closure of Harsnakar
08:06 pm | Today | Social

The pouring rain in Yerevan did not hinder activists of Vahe Avetyan
social movement. Gathering outside Harsnakar Complex, they demand that
the complex owner, deputy of Republican Party of Armenia (HHK) Ruben
Hayrapetyan and his bodyguards be punished.

The piquet held two months after the death of medical doctor Vahe
Avetyan was planned to take place prior to the Azerbaijani criminal
Ramil Safarov extradition to Azerbaijan.

However, according to the movement member Garegin Chugaszyan, they
take this opportunity to stress that both actions were blameworthy,
although committed in different dimensions.

The crime committed by Safarov and the pardon granted to him shall be
assessed in an external dimension, while the incident related to Vahe
Avetyan, according to Chugazsyan, shall be dealt with domestically, by
Armenian society, especially the trial is now underway.
The piquet participants also demanded the closure of Harsnakar
Restaurant Complex.
It needs to be reminded that medical doctor Vahe Avetyan died after
being cruelly beaten up in Harsnakar Complex on June 17.

Hungarian opposition demands the resignation of Justice Minister

17:40, 1 September, 2012

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 1, ARMENPRESS: Hungarian opposition “Democratic
coalition” party demands the resignation of Vice-Prime Minister of
Hungary, minister of Justice Tibor Navracsics. In response to the
question of Armenpress from opposition, left wing party mentioned that
Hungarian Government did not act neutrally towards
Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict. “The Government of Victor Orban by
extraditing Ramil Safarov shows that human life is not estimated in
Hungary as a blood-mad who murdered a man with an axe has been
released” informed from the party.

The party demands to call an out of turn session of Hungarian Parliament.

The Democratic Coalition abbreviated to DK, is a centre-left political
party in Hungary led by former Prime Minister Ferenc Gyurcs. Founded
in 2010 as a group within the Hungarian Socialist Party (MSZP), the
party split from the MSZP on 22 October 2011 and became a separate
party. It has ten MPs in the National Assembly.

On February 19 of 2004 in Budapest Azerbaijani officer Ramil Safarov
slayed with an ax Armenian officer Gurgen Margaryan when the latter
was sleeping. The two officers were taking part in English language
courses in framework of NATO program in Budapest. Hungarian court
sentenced Ramil Safarov to life imprisonment, without a right to be
pardoned during the first 30 years in jail. On August 31 of 2012
Hungarian authorites made a decision to extradite Safarov to
Azerbaijan.

Serzh Sargsyan: there can be only an educated Armenia

Saturday,
September 01 Politics /

Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan has issued a congratulatory address
on Knowledge Day.

`Dear Schoolchildren,Teachers and Parents, Dear Students and Professors,

I congratulate you on the occasion of Knowledge Day and the
commencement of the academic year.

The constant improvement of the educational process has been and
remains a priority of great importance for us. However, our common
efforts will be crowned with success only if you, dear schoolchildren,
study and study well. We believe in you, in the professional and human
qualities of your tutors, in your parents’ attention and care. All
this is done for you, for every one of you and eventually for our
country. I have said it before and I would like to repeat now: there
can be only an educated Armenia, an uneducated Armenia simply cannot
exist.

I would like to particularly congratulate those of the Armenian kids,
who will today for the first time go to school, all first-graders.
They are starting on a road on which they will discover a new and
infinite world – the world of knowledge.

I wish success to all teachers and professors, to all schoolchildren
and students in this new academic year. Let it be a productive year,
because that very productivity holds the promise of Armenia’s future
power and image.’

TODAY, 16:42

Aysor.am

Alexander Bozhko: Release of Ramil Safarov was cynical violation of
international law

arminfo
Saturday, September 1, 15:06

As a former diplomat and a person who knows the South Caucasus well, I
support Armenia’s decision to sever its diplomatic relations with
Hungary in protest of the latter’s verdict to extradite a murderer,
the first Ambassador of Ukraine to Armenia Alexander Bozhko said in an
interview to Analitika.at.ua on Saturday.

“Armenia had no alternative. The release of Ramil Safarov was a
cynical violation of the international law, let along the human law
saying that evil must be punished,” Bozhko said.

Hungary extradited Safarov for Azerbaijani billions of dollars:
Hungarian LMP opposition party

13:54, 1 September, 2012

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 1, ARMENPRESS: LMP opposition party of Hungarian
Parliament shares the concern of Armenian nation about the release of
Ramil Safarov. Armenpress reports calling Hungarian Lehetmas.hu
newspaper that about this has declared LMP opposition party of
Hungarian Parliament.

“The extradition of Azerbaijani blood-mad Ramil Safarov from Hungary
to Azerbaijan who had murdered with an axe Armenian officer Gurgen
Margaryan offended Armenia in result of which the latter suspended
diplomatic relations with Hungary.

Hungarian Government helped the blood-mad to be released and today he
is received in Azerbaijan as a hero. If the ministry of Justice of
Hungary did not have the will not to extradite Safarov to Azerbaijan
then the ministry of Foreign affairs had to pay attention on possible
consequences. Hungarian Government did it in result of promise of
investment of 2-3 billion dollars by Azerbaijan’ declared LMP
opposition party”.

‘Strategic development of Azerbaijani-Turkish ties ails some forces’

Sat 01 September 2012 07:47 GMT | 8:47 Local Time

It’s expected to discuss many issues during the Turkish Premier’s
visit to Azerbaijan, and this visit will, in particular, affect
further development of relations between the two fraternal countries.
Chairman of the Eurasian Economic Relations Association,
editor-in-chief of EkoAvrasiya publication Hikmet Eren has told the
statement to Gun.Az while commenting on the expected visit of Turkish
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan to Azerbaijan.

“Different processes have been observed recently in the region.
Besides, recently, the Armenians armed forces have been violating the
ceasefire regularly and trying to exaggerate the situation in the
region.

This cannot but concern Turkey, since ensuring stability in the region
is a direct interest of Ankara.

The development of relations between Azerbaijan and Turkey at the
strategic level cannot but ail some forces, Armenia, in particular.
Different actions will be taken namely to undermine these relations.
But prevention of development of the two fraternal countries is
impossible, since these relations have been established under
unbreakable foundations,” Eren underlined.

News.Az

Turkish media covers Ramil Safarov’s pardoning

Sat 01 September 2012 10:18 GMT | 11:18 Local Time

Ramil Safarov

Turkish media published information about Azerbaijani officer Ramil
Safarov, who was extradited to Baku on August 31 and pardoned by the
President.
According to Turkish media, lieutenant of the Azerbaijani Army Ramil
Safarov was insulted by an Armenian officer during a NATO Partnership
for Peace program in 2004, in Budapest. Safarov murdered the Armenian
officer and was sentenced to life imprisonment on April 13, 2006.
On August 31, 2012 he was extradited to Azerbaijan and pardoned by
President Ilham Aliyev’s order in accordance with the country’s
constitution.

News.Az

The Armenian Apostolic Church calls to raise a voice of protest

01.09.2012 15:21

The Supreme Spiritual Council held an emergency sitting at the Mother See
of Holy Etchmiadzin chaired by His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch
and Catholicos of All Armenians.

The Supreme Spiritual Council expressed concern over the release of the
Ramil Safarov, an Azerbaijani officer, who brutally killed Armenian army
officer Gurgen Margaryan during NATO courses in Budapest. The Council
adopted the following statement:

`The Armenian Apostolic Church severely condemns the decision of the
Hungarian authorities to transfer murderer Ramil Safarov to Azerbaijan and
the fact of granting pardon to the criminal. This is another demonstration
of the policy of hatred against Armenians pursued by the Azerbaijani
authorities. Unfortunately, an EU member Hungary, which cherishes the
principles of democracy and justice, supported the nasty program of
justifying an Azerbaijani murderer, a fact, which is pregnant with the
threat of murders on the basis of nationality and religion. Human life is
God-given and an intentional murder is a crime against humanity and God.’

The Spiritual Council calls on all servants of the Armenian Apostolic
Church, the world-spread pious Armenians to raise their voice of protest
for the sake of protection of our national rights. The council also applies
to Sister Churches and all religious organizations to raise their voice for
the sake of justice and truth.

Azerbaijani side tries to justify its shameful decision

Azerbaijani side has answered to the accusations by the US State
Department. Remind that the international society and is shaken by the
Hungarian and Azerbaijani actions. Hungarian Government let
Azerbaijani criminal Ramil Safarov return his country and Azerbaijan
justified him and gave freedom to the murdered. Safarov killed
Armenian officer Gurgen Margaryan in Budapest during the NATO
trainings.

Head of the Department on Work with Law-Enforcement Agencies of the
Azerbaijani Presidential Administration Fuad Alasgarov especially said
in the Azerbaijani explanation:

“The procedure for the transfer of sentenced persons to serve their
sentences is governed by the European Convention on the Transfer of
Sentenced Persons, adopted by the Council of Europe in 1983. Hungary
and the Republic of Azerbaijan ratified this Convention. According to
this Convention, a person convicted in one of the contracting parties
may be transferred to the other contracting party to serve his sentence.
The Convention does not prevent the transfer of the sentenced person
even after the entry into force of a final sentence on him.

In solving the transfer of Ramil Safarov both Hungary and Azerbaijan
fully complied with the Convention. Azerbaijan has provided all
necessary legal information on the procedure to continue execution of
sentence. Based on this information the Hungarian party has given its
consent to the transfer of Ramil Safarov.

It’s necessary to clarify that the sentence passed by the Hungarian
court limited only the possibility of parole of the convict for 30
years from the date of sentencing. This restriction does not apply to
the possibility of pardon or amnesty of the convict.
Safarov was pardoned in accordance with the Constitution and laws of
Azerbaijan taking into account provisions of the Convention on the
Transfer of Sentenced Persons. The Convention provides that each party
may declare a pardon, amnesty or reduce punishment in accordance with
the current Constitution or other legislation.

The pardon is the exclusive power of the President. The criminal
legislation of Azerbaijan provides that for persons sentenced to life
imprisonment, may be pardoned through sentencing to an imprisonment
for a term not exceeding 25 years.

Ramil Safarov was under arrest since February 19, 2004, that is, he
has served more than eight and a half years of his sentence. Act of
pardon should be viewed as a substitute for life sentence to the
sentence that the convict has already served. Given this, Ramil
Safarov was released”.

This step by Azerbaijan shows once more that the fascism and
xenophobia, hatred against Armenians are spread in Azerbaijan by the
Government. They released a killer and the latter is accepted as a
national hero in Azerbaijan. This shows the real face of Azerbaijan
and its society.

01.09.12, 15:13