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EUROPEAN ARMENIAN FEDERATION CONDEMNS SAFAROV PARDONING
Armenian Weekly
September 5, 2012
The European Armenian Federation for Justice and Democracy this
week condemned Azerbaijan's pardoning of Ramil Safarov after his
extradition from Hungary, where he was serving a life sentence-with
no expression of either regret or remorse-for the murder of Armenian
lieutenant Gurgen Margaryan.
A Hungarian demonstrator in front of the Parliament in Budapest on
Sept. 4.
As very few doubted, Safarov's return to Baku was welcomed, as was his
act of murder, by Ilham Aliyev's government and regime. The Azerbaijani
government reportedly had agreed to let Safarov serve his prison term
in Azerbaijan. Yet, he was promptly promoted to the rank of major,
received a free apartment, eight years of back pay, and a hero's
welcome for the cold-blooded murder of a sleeping Armenian.
"At least now, after the murderer is declared a national hero in
Azerbaijan, the society in Hungary and other European countries must
fully realize the reason why the Armenians in Mountainous Karabagh will
never agree to be under Azerbaijani rule," said Vahan Hovhannisyan, the
vice-president of Euronest and a member of the Euronest Parliamentary
Assembly Bureau.
A lack of a forceful European response to this injustice would,
in addition to compromising the Union's values of human rights,
rule of law, and democracy, undermine prospects for peace, regional
cooperation, and rule of law. It would also embolden an increasingly
heavily armed Azerbaijani government to continue to incite its
own citizens toward violence, and continue its threats and acts of
aggression against Armenia and Armenians worldwide.
Hungary's extradition of Safarov should continue to be publicly
criticized; Baku must explain Safarov's release to the international
community; and Safarov must immediately be returned to prison to
serve out the remainder of his life sentence.
"The European Parliament has repeatedly condemned Azerbaijan's human
rights violations with resolutions and urgent resolutions," said
Kaspar Karampetian, the president of the European Armenian Federation.
"Clearly this is a country whose government has no intentions of
abiding by the rules of international law. We urge the European Union
to consider values and laws before oil and gas deals, and to stop on
the occasion of every single provocation of Azerbaijan making calls
to both parties to exercise restraint. At last, there must be clear
condemnation of Azerbaijan and its adventurous policies," he said.
Armenian Weekly
September 5, 2012
The European Armenian Federation for Justice and Democracy this
week condemned Azerbaijan's pardoning of Ramil Safarov after his
extradition from Hungary, where he was serving a life sentence-with
no expression of either regret or remorse-for the murder of Armenian
lieutenant Gurgen Margaryan.
A Hungarian demonstrator in front of the Parliament in Budapest on
Sept. 4.
As very few doubted, Safarov's return to Baku was welcomed, as was his
act of murder, by Ilham Aliyev's government and regime. The Azerbaijani
government reportedly had agreed to let Safarov serve his prison term
in Azerbaijan. Yet, he was promptly promoted to the rank of major,
received a free apartment, eight years of back pay, and a hero's
welcome for the cold-blooded murder of a sleeping Armenian.
"At least now, after the murderer is declared a national hero in
Azerbaijan, the society in Hungary and other European countries must
fully realize the reason why the Armenians in Mountainous Karabagh will
never agree to be under Azerbaijani rule," said Vahan Hovhannisyan, the
vice-president of Euronest and a member of the Euronest Parliamentary
Assembly Bureau.
A lack of a forceful European response to this injustice would,
in addition to compromising the Union's values of human rights,
rule of law, and democracy, undermine prospects for peace, regional
cooperation, and rule of law. It would also embolden an increasingly
heavily armed Azerbaijani government to continue to incite its
own citizens toward violence, and continue its threats and acts of
aggression against Armenia and Armenians worldwide.
Hungary's extradition of Safarov should continue to be publicly
criticized; Baku must explain Safarov's release to the international
community; and Safarov must immediately be returned to prison to
serve out the remainder of his life sentence.
"The European Parliament has repeatedly condemned Azerbaijan's human
rights violations with resolutions and urgent resolutions," said
Kaspar Karampetian, the president of the European Armenian Federation.
"Clearly this is a country whose government has no intentions of
abiding by the rules of international law. We urge the European Union
to consider values and laws before oil and gas deals, and to stop on
the occasion of every single provocation of Azerbaijan making calls
to both parties to exercise restraint. At last, there must be clear
condemnation of Azerbaijan and its adventurous policies," he said.