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ANC AUSTRALIA CALLS FOR HUNGARY AND AZERBAIJAN CONDEMNATION
ARMENPRESS
5 September, 2012
YEREVAN
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 5, ARMENPRESS: The Armenian National Committee
of Australia has written to Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard,
calling on Australia to add its voice to international condemnation of
the recent actions by the governments of Hungary and Azerbaijan for
extraditing and pardoning a convicted murderer, reports Armenpress
citing ANC Australia. In 2006, Azeri lieutenant Ramil Safarov was
handed to a life sentence for the premeditated axe murder of Armenian
lieutenant Gurgen Margaryan, who was asleep at the time, while
they were both taking part in NATO's Partnership for Peace program
in Hungary. In late August 2012, Hungarian authorities extradited
Safarov back to Azerbaijan after receiving "assurances" from Azeri
authorities that he would serve the remainder of his sentence in
Azerbaijan. However, upon his return to Baku, Azerbaijan president
Ilham Aliyev pardoned Safarov, and he is now being hailed as a national
hero. ANC Australia Executive Director Vache Kahramanian remarked:
"The Hungarian government, which justified its extradition decision
by referring to the 1983 Strasbourg Convention on the Transfer of
Sentenced Persons, failed to acknowledge that this same Convention
allows for receiving countries to pardon transferred prisoners." "We
condemn the extradition action by the government of Hungary and call on
their government to apologise to Armenia and the Armenian people." In
addition to the letter to Australia's Prime Minister, ANC Australia
has written to Foreign Affairs Minister, Bob Carr and Australia's NATO
Ambassador, Brendan Nelson, as well as to the Ambassador of Hungary
to Australia, Anna Maria Siko. Kahramanian said: "We condemn the
leadership of Azerbaijan, who have once again shown their unwillingness
to commit to peace in the Nagorno Karabakh region by rewarding and
parading a cold-blooded murderer. Our Armenian brothers and sisters
of Nagorno Karabakh have suffered enough." He added: "Such actions
are an abhorrent violation of judicial norms and we call upon the
leaders of Australia to join in our condemnation of Hungary's and
Azerbaijan's actions." "Australia has been an active Partner in NATO
and it has the moral obligation to publicly remark on these shocking
events." ANC Australia has requested a meeting with the Hungarian
Ambassador to pass on the deep concerns of the Armenian-Australian
community. ANC Australia will make public details after the meeting
has been held. In coming days, ANC Australia will also release details
of how Armenian-Australians can add their voices of protest.
ARMENPRESS
5 September, 2012
YEREVAN
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 5, ARMENPRESS: The Armenian National Committee
of Australia has written to Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard,
calling on Australia to add its voice to international condemnation of
the recent actions by the governments of Hungary and Azerbaijan for
extraditing and pardoning a convicted murderer, reports Armenpress
citing ANC Australia. In 2006, Azeri lieutenant Ramil Safarov was
handed to a life sentence for the premeditated axe murder of Armenian
lieutenant Gurgen Margaryan, who was asleep at the time, while
they were both taking part in NATO's Partnership for Peace program
in Hungary. In late August 2012, Hungarian authorities extradited
Safarov back to Azerbaijan after receiving "assurances" from Azeri
authorities that he would serve the remainder of his sentence in
Azerbaijan. However, upon his return to Baku, Azerbaijan president
Ilham Aliyev pardoned Safarov, and he is now being hailed as a national
hero. ANC Australia Executive Director Vache Kahramanian remarked:
"The Hungarian government, which justified its extradition decision
by referring to the 1983 Strasbourg Convention on the Transfer of
Sentenced Persons, failed to acknowledge that this same Convention
allows for receiving countries to pardon transferred prisoners." "We
condemn the extradition action by the government of Hungary and call on
their government to apologise to Armenia and the Armenian people." In
addition to the letter to Australia's Prime Minister, ANC Australia
has written to Foreign Affairs Minister, Bob Carr and Australia's NATO
Ambassador, Brendan Nelson, as well as to the Ambassador of Hungary
to Australia, Anna Maria Siko. Kahramanian said: "We condemn the
leadership of Azerbaijan, who have once again shown their unwillingness
to commit to peace in the Nagorno Karabakh region by rewarding and
parading a cold-blooded murderer. Our Armenian brothers and sisters
of Nagorno Karabakh have suffered enough." He added: "Such actions
are an abhorrent violation of judicial norms and we call upon the
leaders of Australia to join in our condemnation of Hungary's and
Azerbaijan's actions." "Australia has been an active Partner in NATO
and it has the moral obligation to publicly remark on these shocking
events." ANC Australia has requested a meeting with the Hungarian
Ambassador to pass on the deep concerns of the Armenian-Australian
community. ANC Australia will make public details after the meeting
has been held. In coming days, ANC Australia will also release details
of how Armenian-Australians can add their voices of protest.