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OFFICIAL AZERI LETTER DEEMED GUARANTEE FOR MURDERER'S PUNISHMENT, SAYS MINISTRY
Politics.hu
http://www.politics.hu/20120905/official-azeri-letter-deemed-guarantee-for-murderers-punishment-says-ministry/
Sept 5 2012
Hungary
Hungary's Justice Ministry had not expected - based on previous
communication - that the Azerbaijani Justice Ministry would discontinue
the imprisonment of an Azeri murderer who was recently transferred by
Hungary back to his homeland, the ministry said on Monday, in response
to fierce criticism of the repatriation from opposition parties.
The ministry said in a statement that Azerbaijan had earlier informed
them that the life sentence handed down to Ramil Sahib Saharov would be
directly continued when he was returned to his homeland. Azerbaijan is
a full-fledged member of the UN Security Council, as well as a member
of the Council of Europe and other international organisations, so
an official letter from the country's justice ministry was regarded
as a solid guarantee, the statement said.
It added that the Criminal Code of Azerbaijan stated that a person
serving a life sentence can be freed on probation after 25 years at
the earliest.
Safarov was convicted in Hungary in 2006 for murdering the Armenian
Gurgen Margaryan two years earlier. The two men attended a NATO
English-language course together. Safarov was sentenced to life
and sent to prison in Hungary but requested getting transferred to
Azerbaijan. On returning to Azerbaijan on Friday, Safarov got an
immediate pardon by his country's president Ilham Aliyev. According
to press reports he was promoted to major, given a new flat and eight
years' worth of back pay when he returned.
Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan said in Yerevan later in the day
that Armenia had decided to break diplomatic ties with Hungary in
light of the decision.
Earlier on Monday, the splinter party Democratic Coalition (DK)
said Prime Minister Viktor Orban was at fault because he failed to
demand a guarantee from Azerbaijan that the murderer would continue
to serve his life sentence after being repatriated.
Csaba Molnar, deputy head of DK, said Safarov had repeatedly requested
his transfer home during the previous governments but it was refused
because Azerbaijan did not guarantee that his sentence would not
be reduced.
Molnar accused Orban of purposely "leaving a door open" to enable
Safarov's release from prison.
The small opposition LMP party has called on the government to make
public the minutes of talks between Prime Minister Viktor Orban and
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev in Baku, group leader Benedek
Javor said on Monday.
He said the party would make the same request to the Azerbaijani
president's office.
According to LMP, Hungary's government "sold to Azerbaijan a murderer
sentenced to life in Hungary basically in hope of financial support
from the Republic of Azerbaijan."
"What's more, they have made this immoral move in such an amateurish
way that it has now become uncertain whether it's possible to
accomplish what they have originally hoped for," Javor said.
Javor also queried the role played by the Hungarian secret services
in the case. They either had expected that Safarov would be pardoned,
but were ignored by the Hungarian government or they have proven
their unsuitability, he said.
The main opposition Socialists also said on Monday that Orban should
make it clear whether he had discussed the repatriation of Safarov
during his talks with the Azeri president and if any compensation
was offered by Azerbaijan.
Party leader Attila Mesterhazy said it had taken two days for Hungarian
diplomacy to protest against the freeing of Safarov and added that
this case has once against cast shame on the country.
The Socialists prepared a list of questions to be submitted to Orban,
including why he decided to change the previous Hungarian position
not to repatriate Safarov.
Politics.hu
http://www.politics.hu/20120905/official-azeri-letter-deemed-guarantee-for-murderers-punishment-says-ministry/
Sept 5 2012
Hungary
Hungary's Justice Ministry had not expected - based on previous
communication - that the Azerbaijani Justice Ministry would discontinue
the imprisonment of an Azeri murderer who was recently transferred by
Hungary back to his homeland, the ministry said on Monday, in response
to fierce criticism of the repatriation from opposition parties.
The ministry said in a statement that Azerbaijan had earlier informed
them that the life sentence handed down to Ramil Sahib Saharov would be
directly continued when he was returned to his homeland. Azerbaijan is
a full-fledged member of the UN Security Council, as well as a member
of the Council of Europe and other international organisations, so
an official letter from the country's justice ministry was regarded
as a solid guarantee, the statement said.
It added that the Criminal Code of Azerbaijan stated that a person
serving a life sentence can be freed on probation after 25 years at
the earliest.
Safarov was convicted in Hungary in 2006 for murdering the Armenian
Gurgen Margaryan two years earlier. The two men attended a NATO
English-language course together. Safarov was sentenced to life
and sent to prison in Hungary but requested getting transferred to
Azerbaijan. On returning to Azerbaijan on Friday, Safarov got an
immediate pardon by his country's president Ilham Aliyev. According
to press reports he was promoted to major, given a new flat and eight
years' worth of back pay when he returned.
Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan said in Yerevan later in the day
that Armenia had decided to break diplomatic ties with Hungary in
light of the decision.
Earlier on Monday, the splinter party Democratic Coalition (DK)
said Prime Minister Viktor Orban was at fault because he failed to
demand a guarantee from Azerbaijan that the murderer would continue
to serve his life sentence after being repatriated.
Csaba Molnar, deputy head of DK, said Safarov had repeatedly requested
his transfer home during the previous governments but it was refused
because Azerbaijan did not guarantee that his sentence would not
be reduced.
Molnar accused Orban of purposely "leaving a door open" to enable
Safarov's release from prison.
The small opposition LMP party has called on the government to make
public the minutes of talks between Prime Minister Viktor Orban and
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev in Baku, group leader Benedek
Javor said on Monday.
He said the party would make the same request to the Azerbaijani
president's office.
According to LMP, Hungary's government "sold to Azerbaijan a murderer
sentenced to life in Hungary basically in hope of financial support
from the Republic of Azerbaijan."
"What's more, they have made this immoral move in such an amateurish
way that it has now become uncertain whether it's possible to
accomplish what they have originally hoped for," Javor said.
Javor also queried the role played by the Hungarian secret services
in the case. They either had expected that Safarov would be pardoned,
but were ignored by the Hungarian government or they have proven
their unsuitability, he said.
The main opposition Socialists also said on Monday that Orban should
make it clear whether he had discussed the repatriation of Safarov
during his talks with the Azeri president and if any compensation
was offered by Azerbaijan.
Party leader Attila Mesterhazy said it had taken two days for Hungarian
diplomacy to protest against the freeing of Safarov and added that
this case has once against cast shame on the country.
The Socialists prepared a list of questions to be submitted to Orban,
including why he decided to change the previous Hungarian position
not to repatriate Safarov.