Azerbaijan has not publicized the awarding of a new military rank to Ramil Safarov.

The respective information appeared Monday on social media and was disseminated by some secondary media outlets—and only in the Azerbaijani language. Apparently, the Azerbaijani media were instructed not to highlight this “noteworthy event.”

According to social media reports, Safarov has been promoted to the military rank of colonel. As a reminder, the rank of lieutenant colonel was awarded to him in 2017.

In February 2004, English-language courses were held in Hungarian capital Budapest within the framework of NATO’s Partnership for Peace program. Armenian and Azerbaijani military officers took part, including the future Armenian victim Gurgen Margaryan and his murderer, Ramil Safarov. On the night of February 19, Safarov entered an unlocked room and killed the sleeping Margaryan with an axe. After that, Safarov attempted to kill the second Armenian officer, Hayk Makuchyan. Fortunately, the attempt failed because the door of Makuchyan’s room was locked.

On April 13, 2006, Safarov was sentenced by a Budapest court to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole for 30 years—and thanks in part to the efforts of Armenian lawyer Nazeli Vardanyan. In court, Safarov changed his testimony, retracting his earlier statements, claiming that he had a poor command of Russian and English.

During a visit to Armenian capital Yerevan in 2008, Hungary’s then foreign minister Kinga Goncz, responding to a question about the possibility of returning Safarov to Azerbaijan, stated that such an option existed, but Hungary had no obligation to do so. Ramil Safarov’s act was a shock and a horror for the Hungarian public. There is a possibility of returning Safarov, but Hungary has no such obligation. All issues regarding Safarov will be considered very seriously. The most important question is whether Safarov will serve a life sentence in Azerbaijan or not, the minister said.

A few years later, Hungarian authorities, represented by Prime Minister Viktor Orban, struck a deal with the Azerbaijani authorities. Allowing themselves to be bribed with Azerbaijani petrodollars, Hungary exchanged the concept of justice and legality for a one-time benefit. Ramil Safarov was returned to Azerbaijan, where he was immediately released and elevated to the status of a “hero.” On the same day, August 31, 2012, Armenia severed diplomatic relations with Hungary. Relations were restored only relatively recently.

Both Ramil Safarov and the Azerbaijani authorities have remained absolutely unpunished to this day.