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ABA SENDS LETTER TO OBAMA ON SAFAROV EXTRADITION
Armenian Weekly
September 6, 2012
The Armenian Bar Association sent the following letter to President
Barack Obama regarding Ramil Safarov's extradition and later release
in Azerbaijan.
September 3, 2012
President Barack Obama The White House 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20500
Dear President Obama:
Greetings to you on behalf of the Armenian Bar Association,
the largest and most diverse group of Armenian-American judges,
lawyers, and students who are bound together by the greatest-and
often elusive-universal interest, namely justice.
Your life and career have been guided by the North Star of our times,
carrying within its glow the promise of enlightenment. These two
principles-enlightenment and justice- form the ligament that holds
civilized men and women and civilized nations together.
The Executive Committee of the Armenian Bar Association shares your
deep concern over Azeri President Ilham Aliyev's illicit pardon of
Azeri Ramil Safarov, who was convicted in Hungarian courts of axing
to death an innocent Armenian, Gurgen Margaryan. The painful irony of
the crime is that it occurred during a training program in Budapest
under the auspices of NATO's Partnership for Peace Program.
Whereas communicating to Azerbaijan's authorities your disappointment
about the decision to pardon Safarov is welcome news to us, we hope
there will be more said and more done by you about the affront to
international law and fundamental notions of, simply, what is right
and what is wrong.
We ask that you follow your own conscience and sense of justice
which have elevated you to the highest office in our land and have
led to the support of millions of Americans, including the support
of countless Armenian-Americans.
Mr. Aliyev's decision to pardon Safarov is a repudiation of your
and American efforts to bring peace, reduce regional tensions, and
promote reconciliation.
This week, as you accept the nomination of the Democratic Party and, as
anticipated, share with the nation the importance of the rule of law,
and as you remind the world about the United States of America being
the champion of freedom and democracy, we ask that you please take
a moment to reflect on how those declarations can be reconciled with
the current state of friendly relations with the regime in Azerbaijan.
We urge you to let the world see you as the brave leader for whom
justice is above and for all.
Very Truly Yours,
Garo B. Ghazarian Chairman, Board of Governors Armenian Bar Association
Edvin Minassian Chairman, Ex-Officio
Armen K. Hovannisian Vice-Chairman
Harry Dikranian Vice-Chairman
Sara Bedirian Treasurer
Hovanes Margarian Secretary
Vicken I. Simonian Chairman Emeritus
Armenian Weekly
September 6, 2012
The Armenian Bar Association sent the following letter to President
Barack Obama regarding Ramil Safarov's extradition and later release
in Azerbaijan.
September 3, 2012
President Barack Obama The White House 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20500
Dear President Obama:
Greetings to you on behalf of the Armenian Bar Association,
the largest and most diverse group of Armenian-American judges,
lawyers, and students who are bound together by the greatest-and
often elusive-universal interest, namely justice.
Your life and career have been guided by the North Star of our times,
carrying within its glow the promise of enlightenment. These two
principles-enlightenment and justice- form the ligament that holds
civilized men and women and civilized nations together.
The Executive Committee of the Armenian Bar Association shares your
deep concern over Azeri President Ilham Aliyev's illicit pardon of
Azeri Ramil Safarov, who was convicted in Hungarian courts of axing
to death an innocent Armenian, Gurgen Margaryan. The painful irony of
the crime is that it occurred during a training program in Budapest
under the auspices of NATO's Partnership for Peace Program.
Whereas communicating to Azerbaijan's authorities your disappointment
about the decision to pardon Safarov is welcome news to us, we hope
there will be more said and more done by you about the affront to
international law and fundamental notions of, simply, what is right
and what is wrong.
We ask that you follow your own conscience and sense of justice
which have elevated you to the highest office in our land and have
led to the support of millions of Americans, including the support
of countless Armenian-Americans.
Mr. Aliyev's decision to pardon Safarov is a repudiation of your
and American efforts to bring peace, reduce regional tensions, and
promote reconciliation.
This week, as you accept the nomination of the Democratic Party and, as
anticipated, share with the nation the importance of the rule of law,
and as you remind the world about the United States of America being
the champion of freedom and democracy, we ask that you please take
a moment to reflect on how those declarations can be reconciled with
the current state of friendly relations with the regime in Azerbaijan.
We urge you to let the world see you as the brave leader for whom
justice is above and for all.
Very Truly Yours,
Garo B. Ghazarian Chairman, Board of Governors Armenian Bar Association
Edvin Minassian Chairman, Ex-Officio
Armen K. Hovannisian Vice-Chairman
Harry Dikranian Vice-Chairman
Sara Bedirian Treasurer
Hovanes Margarian Secretary
Vicken I. Simonian Chairman Emeritus