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Cyprus Mail
September 6, 2012 Thursday
Armenians angry at Hungary over convict's release
Poly Pantelides
MEMBERS of the Armenian community yesterday gathered outside the
Hungarian embassy protesting against the release of a convicted
murderer after he was transferred from Hungary to Azerbaijan.
Bearing banners saying 'Shame on you' and 'Hungary for sale' around
sixty Armenians shouted slogans outside the embassy in Nicosia at
about 12pm.
Azeri officer Ramil Safarov axed to death Armenian officer Gurgen
Margaryan in Hungary back in 2004. Both men were attending a NATO
event.
Safarov was sentenced to life imprisonment in Hungary but was sent
back to Azerbaijan where he was pardoned last week.
During his trial, Safarov said the reasons behind his actions were the
Azeri-Armenian war in the 1990s, BBC reported.
On return he received a hero's welcome, was pardoned, promoted to the
rank of major, and paid wages for the eight years he was in jail.
"They welcomed him as a hero, gave him a place to live and back-paid
his wages. Their word is worth nothing," a protester said.
Hungarian authorities have said they were assured that Safarov's
sentence would be enforced in Azerbaijan.
International mediators - including representatives from Russia, the
US and France - have expressed concern over prospects for peace
following the pardon.
A war between the Azeris and Armenians broke out in the early 1990s
over the mostly Armenian enclave of Nagorno-Karabakh. A ceasefire was
signed in 1994 but the conflict is not considered resolved.
The coordinating committee of Cyprus Armenian political parties
yesterday handed a letter to the Hungarian ambassador, Balazs Botos.
The letter condemns the "flagrant violation of international and
European Union law by Azerbaijan" and demands of Hungary "to influence
Azerbaijan to annul the disgraceful pardon and return the criminal
back to the prison cell where he belongs."
Botos expressed his hopes that his country's relationship with the
Armenians will improve, citing cultural similarities and Hungary's
respect for the Armenian people.
Reuters has recently reported that there have been discussions of a
loan from Azerbaijan to Hungary worth at least EUR2.0 billion.
September 6, 2012 Thursday
Armenians angry at Hungary over convict's release
Poly Pantelides
MEMBERS of the Armenian community yesterday gathered outside the
Hungarian embassy protesting against the release of a convicted
murderer after he was transferred from Hungary to Azerbaijan.
Bearing banners saying 'Shame on you' and 'Hungary for sale' around
sixty Armenians shouted slogans outside the embassy in Nicosia at
about 12pm.
Azeri officer Ramil Safarov axed to death Armenian officer Gurgen
Margaryan in Hungary back in 2004. Both men were attending a NATO
event.
Safarov was sentenced to life imprisonment in Hungary but was sent
back to Azerbaijan where he was pardoned last week.
During his trial, Safarov said the reasons behind his actions were the
Azeri-Armenian war in the 1990s, BBC reported.
On return he received a hero's welcome, was pardoned, promoted to the
rank of major, and paid wages for the eight years he was in jail.
"They welcomed him as a hero, gave him a place to live and back-paid
his wages. Their word is worth nothing," a protester said.
Hungarian authorities have said they were assured that Safarov's
sentence would be enforced in Azerbaijan.
International mediators - including representatives from Russia, the
US and France - have expressed concern over prospects for peace
following the pardon.
A war between the Azeris and Armenians broke out in the early 1990s
over the mostly Armenian enclave of Nagorno-Karabakh. A ceasefire was
signed in 1994 but the conflict is not considered resolved.
The coordinating committee of Cyprus Armenian political parties
yesterday handed a letter to the Hungarian ambassador, Balazs Botos.
The letter condemns the "flagrant violation of international and
European Union law by Azerbaijan" and demands of Hungary "to influence
Azerbaijan to annul the disgraceful pardon and return the criminal
back to the prison cell where he belongs."
Botos expressed his hopes that his country's relationship with the
Armenians will improve, citing cultural similarities and Hungary's
respect for the Armenian people.
Reuters has recently reported that there have been discussions of a
loan from Azerbaijan to Hungary worth at least EUR2.0 billion.