YEREVAN. – The Hungarian authorities’ move to extradite criminal Ramil Safarov to Azerbaijan causes bewilderment and resentment at the very least, Armenian National Assembly Deputy Speaker and ruling Republican Party Press Secretary Eduard Sharmazanov stated. 

In his words, it was clear as to what was to await that killer in Azerbaijan.

“And with respect to [Azerbaijani President Ilham] Aliyev’s decision to grant him pardon, this move proves yet again that the policy of Armenian-hatred and fascism is conducted and encouraged in Azerbaijan on a state level. I believe Azerbaijan’s astonishing move to grant this killer pardon shall not remain unanswered and must be condemned by the international community,” said Sharmazanov.

To note, Hungary has extradited Ramil Safarov to Azerbaijan. It was informed that Ilham Aliyev had already granted pardon to the murderer, and Azerbaijani MP Ceyhun Osmanli likewise had confirmed the news about Safarov’s extradition.

As Armenian News-NEWS.am informed earlier, on February 19, 2004, Ramil Safarov, a lieutenant of the Azerbaijani Amy, murdered Armenian officer Gurgen Margaryan.

On January 11, 2004, Margaryan had left for Budapest to participate in a three-month English language course, which was part of NATO’s Partnership for Peace program. On February 19 he was axed, while asleep, by his fellow Azerbaijani participant, Lieutenant Ramil Safarov. The murder took place at 5am in the morning, while the victim was asleep.

When interrogated, Safarov had confessed he had planned to murder of two Armenian officers “by chopping off their heads.”

Despite the confession, Azerbaijani propaganda attempted to make Ramil Safarov a national hero and deceive the international community.

On April 16, 2006, the Hungarian court sentenced Safarov to life imprisonment and without a possibility of appeal until 2036. The judge, Andras Vaskuti, had cited as the reasons for the sentence the premeditated nature and brutality of the crime, and the fact that Safarov showed no remorse for his deeds.