Relatives of Armenian Officer Murdered by Azerbaijani Demand Justice

In Budapest, relatives of an Armenian officer murdered by an Azerbaijani man are hopeful that the European Court of Human Rights will rule on May 26 against Hungary and Azerbaijan. In 2004, Gurgen Margaryan was in Budapest to participate in NATO's "Partnership for Peace" training program. This information was reported by Armenpress.

During the trial, Safarov stated that he was driven by hatred toward Armenia and Armenians. The Budapest court sentenced him to life imprisonment. However, in 2012 Safarov was extradited to Azerbaijan, where he was granted a pardon.

“Although 16 years have passed since this horrific incident, it is still fresh in my memory,” said Hayk Makuchyan, who was also in Budapest with Gurgen Margaryan for the training. Safarov had also intended to kill him. He and Margaryan's relatives are plaintiffs at the European Court of Human Rights. They do not demand financial compensation from any government. “We are seeking justice, not compensation. What happened to us is a confirmation of severe violence; we want to put an end to impunity and prevent hatred against Armenians,” Makuchyan stated.

The representative of Gurgen Margaryan’s family, lawyer Nazeli Vardanyan, emphasized that the Margaryan family is fighting for justice. “They only want justice,” she said.

The European Court could compel Azerbaijan to re-arrest Safarov and return him to prison. “In fact, we would like the court to require that he be extradited back to Hungary or a third country to continue serving his sentence, because in Azerbaijan he has been glorified as a hero,” Vardanyan added.

Philippe Litz, the director of the European Center for Human Rights, who also represents the plaintiffs, noted that the case covers new legal territory and the court's decision could have serious implications for future extradition cases involving prisoners. “It is quite common for pardons to be granted for political reasons, but when states declare amnesties or grant pardons, they often violate their obligations regarding human rights,” he said.

The 2012 report by the Hungarian Ombudsman stated that Hungary did not violate any international laws but concluded that the Hungarian government “was not reasonable enough in not demanding any guarantee from Azerbaijan.” The decision came shortly after Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban visited Baku. The Hungarian government has denied any misconduct in the matter.

“With all due respect to Hungary, I have mixed feelings. I am grateful to the Hungarian judiciary, which is strong enough to carry out justice... and disappointed that the murderer was extradited and the stable risks of impunity remain,” said Makuchyan, who currently works in the Armenian Ministry of Defense.

On February 19, 2004, Gurgen Margaryan, an Armenian officer participating in NATO training, was killed by Azerbaijani Ramil Safarov in a treacherous act. Balazs Kuti, a Hungarian resident who shared a room with the Armenian officer, recounted that different nationalities, including an Azerbaijani, were living on the same floor, but there had been no disputes during the training. On the day of the brutal murder, February 19, Margaryan preferred to study longer than others before meeting his friend Hayk Makuchyan and then returning to his room. Azerbaijani Safarov, taking advantage of the fact that Margaryan did not lock his door while sleeping, viciously killed the sleeping Armenian with 16 axe blows. Kuti explained that he turned around at the sounds and only then realized what had happened.

“There were four of us, and there was blood everywhere. I started shouting for the Azerbaijani to stop. He said he had no issue with me and would not touch me. The expression on his face was joyful, as if he had just completed an important task. I was in shock, ran out to call for help, and Ramil went in the other direction,” the Hungarian recounted.

Unsatisfied with having killed Gurgen Margaryan, Safarov's next target was another Armenian, Hayk Makuchyan. With his bloody axe in hand, Safarov began searching for Hayk in other rooms, telling those gathered that he needed nothing but the blood of an Armenian. However, he was unsuccessful in killing the second Armenian as this time the door was locked.