Trial of Azeri officer accused of murdering Armenian serviceman starts

Assa-Irada, Azerbaijan
Nov 24 2004

The trial of Azerbaijani officer, senior lieutenant Ramil Safarov,
charged with murdering an Armenian serviceman Gurgen Markarian,
started in Budapest, Hungary on Tuesday.

Asked by the judge if he wanted to change his plea, Safarov said that
in making the previous statement, the questions were asked in English,
and therefore, he misunderstood them. The Azeri officer said that for
this reason he would like to re-enter his plea in his native language.

An acquaintance of the murdered Armenian officer, who testified at
the trial as a witness, said that Safarov had allegedly threatened
to kill other Armenian officers as well.*