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Ramil Safarov
Ramil Səfərov | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Safarov in 2012 | |
| Born | August 25, 1977 |
| Occupation | Lieutenant colonel in Azerbaijani Army |
| Criminal status | Extradited to Azerbaijan, pardoned by President Ilham Aliyev |
| Allegiance | Azerbaijan |
| Motive | Anti-Armenian sentiment |
| Conviction(s) | Premeditated murder |
| Criminal penalty | Life imprisonment |
| Details | |
| Victims | Gurgen Margaryan, 25 |
| Date | 19 February 2004 |
| State(s) | Hungary |
Ramil Sahib oghlu Safarov (Azerbaijani: Ramil Sahib oğlu Səfərov, [ɾɑˈmil sɑˈhip oɣˈlu sæˈfæɾof], born August 25, 1977) is an officer of the Azerbaijani Army who was convicted of the 2004 murder of Armenian Army Lieutenant Gurgen Margaryan. During a NATO-sponsored training seminar in Budapest, Safarov broke into Margaryan's dormitory room at night and axed Margaryan to death while he was asleep. In Azerbaijan, Safarov has become a highly celebrated figure for his killing of an Armenian.[1][2][3][4][5]
In 2006, Safarov was convicted of premeditated murder and sentenced to life imprisonment in Hungary with a 30-year minimum. After his request under the Strasbourg Convention, he was extradited on August 31, 2012, to Azerbaijan, where he was greeted as a hero,[6][7][8] pardoned by Azerbaijani president Ilham Aliyev despite contrary assurances made to Hungary,[9] promoted to the rank of major and given an apartment and over eight years of back pay.[10] According to Azerbaijani authorities, Safarov was pardoned in compliance with the Constitution.[11][12] Following Safarov's pardon, Armenia severed diplomatic relations with Hungary and immediate protests broke out in Yerevan.[13] The extradition was widely condemned by international organizations and governments of many countries, including the United States, Russia and France.
In a 2017 investigation into the Azerbaijani laundromat money-laundering scheme, it was uncovered and revealed that several bank transfers in 2012, totalling more than USD $9 million, made to the Hungarian MKB Bank account in Budapest right around the time when the Hungarian government extradited Safarov to Azerbaijan.[14][15]
- ^ Polupanov, Vladimir (6 September 2012). "Владимир Полупанов: Об убийцах с топором и национальных героях". Argumenty i Fakty. Archived from the original on 2 October 2013. Retrieved 2 October 2013.
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hearingwas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ “Zerkalo” Newspaper, Baku, 28.02.2004
- ^ "Azeri killer Ramil Safarov: Concern over Armenian anger". BBC News. 3 September 2012. Retrieved 3 September 2012.
Ramil Safarov was given a hero's welcome on his return to Azerbaijan last week.
- ^ "Hero's welcome for Azerbaijan axe murderer". Al Jazeera. 2 September 2012. Retrieved 2 September 2012.
- ^ "Armenia cuts ties with Hungary over Azerbaijan killer pardon". BBC News. 31 August 2012. Retrieved 1 September 2012.
- ^ "Azerbaijan pardons, frees convicted killer". Fox News. Associated Press. 31 August 2012. Retrieved 20 January 2013.
- ^ "As Armenia Protests Killer's Pardon, Azerbaijan Promotes Him". Radio Free Europe. 31 August 2012. Retrieved 2 September 2012.
- ^ "Ramil Safarov's pardon 'in line with the Constitution and laws of Azerbaijan'". News.az. 1 September 2012. Archived from the original on 31 March 2019. Retrieved 3 September 2012.
- ^ "Convention on the Transfer of Sentenced Persons". Council of Europe. 21 March 1983. Retrieved 3 September 2012.
- ^ "Armenians hold anti-Hungary rally over Azeri killer pardon". BBC. 1 September 2012. Retrieved 3 September 2012.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
atlatszo-2020was invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Cite error: The named reference
beacon-mkbwas invoked but never defined (see the help page).
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