SENTENCED AZERI OFFICER’S DEFENDERS POISED TO FIGHT TILL THE END
Assa-Irada, Azerbaijan
posted April 17 2006
Baku, April 14, AssA-Irada
The Hungarian court’s decision issued on Thursday to sentence an
Azeri officer to life in prison indicates Europe’s attitude toward the
Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict over Upper (Nagorno) Garabagh, said MP Azay
Guliyev, member of the Coordination Council for Ramil Safarov’s Rights.
Ramil Safarov was convicted of killing an Armenian serviceman during
a NATO course in Budapest in a lengthy trial that many in Azerbaijan
labeled as unfair.
“I believe it was a ruling issued on Azerbaijan as a whole. It aims
to defeat the country in the Garabagh conflict,” Guliyev said.
Guliyev said the Council plans to renew the tactics in its activity.
It will also work to ensure a high-level representation of Safarov’s
rights in the court of appeals where the case will be filed.
The MP said the Committee suggests that Azeri judiciary bodies
immediately start talks with their Hungarian counterparts.
“The Budapest court’s ruling does not mean we have lost completely. I
believe that if Safarov’s rights are further properly protected,
it is possible to achieve a fair decision in the court of appeal.”
The Coordination Council on Friday forwarded an appeal to the Hungarian
higher legislative bodies, the Council of Europe, OSCE and other
influential international organizations. It voiced hope that the
court will take into account the Azeri officer’s condition at the
time of the incident, as well as Armenia’s occupation of 20% of Azeri
territories and the atrocities committed by Armenian troops against
innocent people, including the Khojaly massacre. “Unfortunately,
this has yet to happen,” the statement said.
The forensic expertise was conducted four times. Armenians insisted
on the accuracy of the first examination indicating that Safarov’s
actions were premeditated, while the defense says he was in emotional
distress when reacting to the Armenian officer Gurgen Markarian’s
insults, which is confirmed by the second and third one.