WASHINGTON, DC – California Senator Barbara Boxer has expressed her outrage over Azerbaijan’s pardon, promotion and praise for convicted axe-murderer Ramil Safarov, and called for his immediate re-incarceration, reported the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA).

In a strongly worded letter to President Aliyev, Senator Boxer stressed that Safarov’s release is “deeply disturbing and provocative action has only served to inflame tensions and endanger efforts to forge a lasting peace in the Caucasus.”  Calling the Safarov’s pardon a “blatant disregard for the rule of law,” she went on to demand that Aliyev “adhere to the standards of the international law by returning Mr. Safarov to jail, where he belongs, for the heinous crime that he committed.” 

With her statement, Senator Boxer has joined a diverse group of U.S. leaders from the Obama Administration, State Department and Congress in condemning President Aliyev’s release of Safarov.

Members of Congress who have condemned Azerbaijan’s release of Safarov to date include, Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman John Kerry (D-MA), Sen. Boxer, Sen. Robert Menendez (D-NJ), Congressional Armenian Caucus Co-Chair Frank Pallone (D-NJ), House Foreign Affairs Committee Ranking Democrat Howard Berman (D-CA), House Energy and Commerce Committee Ranking Democrat Henry Waxman (D-CA), and Representatives Jim Costa (D-CA), Jeff Denham (R-CA), Robert Dold (R-IL), Anna Eshoo (D-CA), David Cicilline (D-RI), Devin Nunes (R-CA), John Sarbanes (D-MD), Adam Schiff (D-CA) and Brad Sherman (D-CA).