Verdict on the Murder of Gurgen Margaryan: What the ECHR Found After 7 Years

The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) has published its ruling on the case concerning Gurgen Margaryan, an Armenian officer, in the case titled “Makučyan and Minasyan v. Azerbaijan and Hungary.” According to Armtimes.com, the court established that Azerbaijan violated several articles, including the right to life and non-discrimination provisions. In contrast, no violations were recorded concerning Hungary.

Specifically, the ECHR's ruling stated that Azerbaijan violated Article 2 of the European Convention on Human Rights concerning the right to life and Article 14 regarding the prohibition of discrimination. Furthermore, Azerbaijan failed to provide justifications for the cancellation of the imprisonment of its military officer, who committed the crime out of ethnic hatred, as he was pardoned by the president after being transferred from Hungary to Azerbaijan, designated a hero, and promoted within the Armed Forces.

The ECHR ordered Azerbaijan to pay the applicants £15,143 (approximately 9 million AMD) for incurred costs.

It is important to note that during a military training course in Budapest, Azerbaijani serviceman Ramil Safarov stabbed Gurgen Margaryan while he was sleeping. Safarov also attempted to invade the room of Makučyan (one of the applicants in the ECHR case and a colleague of Margaryan) before being arrested by Hungarian police. Safarov was convicted of a premeditated and brutal murder and sentenced to life imprisonment by Hungarian courts, with the possibility of parole after 30 years.

During the criminal proceedings, Safarov confessed that he had premeditated the murder of Gurgen Margaryan specifically because of his Armenian ethnicity. In 2012, following the request of Azerbaijani authorities, Safarov was transferred to Azerbaijan to serve the remainder of his sentence there, as per an agreement under the European Convention. However, upon arrival in Azerbaijan, Safarov received a presidential pardon, was released, awarded the rank of major, and granted a housing and eight years' salary as a national hero.