The Office of the Human Rights Defender of Armenia Arman Tatoyan has issued a statement on the ruling of the European Court of Human Rights on the murder of Armenian officer Gurgen Margaryan by Azerbaijani officer Ramil Safarov in Hungary in 2004, as well as the extradition, pardon and glorification of the murderer in Azerbaijan.

“Human Rights Defender Arman Tatoyan considers the ruling of the European Court of Human Rights on the murder of officer of the Armed Forces of Armenia Gurgen Margaryan a pivotal achievement in the prevention of criminal offenses committed with discrimination and hatred on the ground of ethnic belonging. It is also important from the perspective of strengthening of the human rights system at the all-European level.

With this ruling, the European Court considered condemnable the release and glorification of a person having committed murder due to ethnic hatred which serves as a dangerous stimulus for the formation of an atmosphere of impunity. Moreover, reputable international organizations had expressed concerns about the extradition and release of Ramil Safarov.

It is necessary to remember that the inevitable liability of a person having committed murder with such brutality and serving of punishment by that person are clearly targeted at the prevention of the commission of such ethnic hate crimes in the future, but glorification and encouragement of such crimes may lead to dangerous consequences, preparing ground for the commission of crimes with more brutality in the future.

Discrimination and hatred on the ground of ethnic belonging need to be eliminated once and for all. It may lead to negative consequences, the elimination of which will require long-term efforts. Such a consequence was the brutal murder of Gurgen Margaryan.

The Human Rights Defender of Armenia will be consistent with the efforts to promote effective implementation of the legal principles and standards in regard to the fight against discrimination and hatred based on ethnic belonging at the universal level.”