Human Rights Defender of Armenia Arman Tatoyan posted the following on his Facebook page today:

“On May 26, the European Court of Human Rights published the decision under the case of Gurgen Margaryan, or, in other words, the case of Makuchyan and Minasyan vs Azerbaijan and Hungary, and this case is of historical significance for the whole system of human rights protection.

With this decision, the European Court recorded the fact that the brutal murder of Armenian officer Gurgen Margaryan with ten strikes of an axe while he was sleeping and the attack on Hayk Mukuchyan by Azerbaijani officer Ramil Safarov is the result of Armenophobia. This decision affirms that the release and glorification of Ramil Safarov and the privileges granted to him for the brutality ensure impunity for similar crimes and ensure grounds for deepening of hatred.

What is fundamental is the fact that, with this decision, the international court enshrined the fact that there is a systematic policy of discrimination against the Armenians in Azerbaijan on the ground of ethnic belonging.

Siranush Sahakyan played an invaluable role in this case and succeeded in presenting the whole reality to the European Court through extremely complicated, yet very precise work. Levon Gevorgyan carried out major activities during examination of the case. During a news conference, Mrs. Sahakyan and Mr. Gevorgyan presented their tremendous work and the value of the Court’s decision. It is necessary to attach importance to the role of Nazeli Vardanyan because protection of the interests of the victims would not be this effective without her major efforts in Hungary.”