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Sen. Boxer demands from Aliyev to put Safarov back in jail
12:05, 28 September, 2012
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 28, ARMENPRESS: California Senator Barbara Boxer
(D-CA) has expressed her outrage over Azerbaijan's pardon, promotion
and praise for convicted axe-murderer Ramil Safarov, and called for
his immediate re-incarceration, reports Armenpress citing the Armenian
National Committee of America. 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." The
complete text of the letter is provided below. The letter comes amid
the Aliyev Administration's continuing glorification of Safarov, who
axed to death Armenian military lieutenant Gurgen Margaryan, in his
sleep, during a 2004 NATO sponsored language training exercise in
Hungary. Safarov, who was extradited by Hungary to Baku on August
31st, was immediately pardoned, promoted from the rank of lieutenant
to major, reimbursed 8 years of back pay, and provided a new apartment
as a reward for committing this heinous anti-Armenian hate crime.
According to news reports, Safarov will soon resume active Azerbaijani
military service. Meanwhile Azerbaijan's anti-Armenian aggression
continued this week with a sniper attack leaving 19-year-old soldier
Vaghinag Baghdasarian dead. 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. Last week, during the Center for European Policy Analysis'
U.S.-Central Europe Strategy Forum, Assistant Secretary of State Phil
Gordon told RFE/RL that the State Department continues "to express our
dismay and disappointment. We're not satisfied with what has happened
here. In our view this is someone who should have continued to serve
out his sentence and certainly we were appalled by the glorification
that we heard in some corridors of somebody who was convicted of
murder, and so no, we're not satisfied with the responses." The U.S.
was among the first to comment on the travesty on August 31st, with a
statement issued by the White House in the name of National Security
Council Spokesman Tommy Vietor, underscoring the President's view
that, "This action is contrary to ongoing efforts to reduce regional
tensions and promote reconciliation." Vietor went on to note that,
"The United States is also requesting an explanation from Hungary
regarding its decision to transfer Safarov to Azerbaijan." The
Department of State, through a formal announcement issued by Acting
Deputy Spokesman Patrick Ventrell, also took a stand against Hungary's
extradition and Azerbaijan's pardon, explaining that: "The United
States is extremely troubled by the news that the President of
Azerbaijan pardoned Azerbaijani army officer Ramil Safarov, who
returned to Baku today following his transfer from Hungary. We are
expressing our deep concern to Azerbaijan regarding this action and
seeking an explanation. We are also seeking further details from
Hungary regarding the decision to transfer Mr. Safarov to Azerbaijan."
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).
12:05, 28 September, 2012
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 28, ARMENPRESS: California Senator Barbara Boxer
(D-CA) has expressed her outrage over Azerbaijan's pardon, promotion
and praise for convicted axe-murderer Ramil Safarov, and called for
his immediate re-incarceration, reports Armenpress citing the Armenian
National Committee of America. 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." The
complete text of the letter is provided below. The letter comes amid
the Aliyev Administration's continuing glorification of Safarov, who
axed to death Armenian military lieutenant Gurgen Margaryan, in his
sleep, during a 2004 NATO sponsored language training exercise in
Hungary. Safarov, who was extradited by Hungary to Baku on August
31st, was immediately pardoned, promoted from the rank of lieutenant
to major, reimbursed 8 years of back pay, and provided a new apartment
as a reward for committing this heinous anti-Armenian hate crime.
According to news reports, Safarov will soon resume active Azerbaijani
military service. Meanwhile Azerbaijan's anti-Armenian aggression
continued this week with a sniper attack leaving 19-year-old soldier
Vaghinag Baghdasarian dead. 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. Last week, during the Center for European Policy Analysis'
U.S.-Central Europe Strategy Forum, Assistant Secretary of State Phil
Gordon told RFE/RL that the State Department continues "to express our
dismay and disappointment. We're not satisfied with what has happened
here. In our view this is someone who should have continued to serve
out his sentence and certainly we were appalled by the glorification
that we heard in some corridors of somebody who was convicted of
murder, and so no, we're not satisfied with the responses." The U.S.
was among the first to comment on the travesty on August 31st, with a
statement issued by the White House in the name of National Security
Council Spokesman Tommy Vietor, underscoring the President's view
that, "This action is contrary to ongoing efforts to reduce regional
tensions and promote reconciliation." Vietor went on to note that,
"The United States is also requesting an explanation from Hungary
regarding its decision to transfer Safarov to Azerbaijan." The
Department of State, through a formal announcement issued by Acting
Deputy Spokesman Patrick Ventrell, also took a stand against Hungary's
extradition and Azerbaijan's pardon, explaining that: "The United
States is extremely troubled by the news that the President of
Azerbaijan pardoned Azerbaijani army officer Ramil Safarov, who
returned to Baku today following his transfer from Hungary. We are
expressing our deep concern to Azerbaijan regarding this action and
seeking an explanation. We are also seeking further details from
Hungary regarding the decision to transfer Mr. Safarov to Azerbaijan."
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).