UK official calls for rule of law in Safarov case

PanARMENIAN.Net - The Council of Europe has started debate on the case of Azeri axe-killer Ramil Safarov, who was extradited by Hungary and immediately pardoned by the Azerbaijani President after being sentenced to life imprisonment by Budapest court for murdering Armenian officer Gurgen Margaryan during a NATO-sponsored language course in 2004.

“Somehow, we in this Assembly must try to persuade the international community to get serious about the problem between Azerbaijan and Armenia,” said Christopher Chope (United Kingdom, EDG) in Strasbourg, opening the debate.

“Tensions are rising all the time and, although there are political statements, no one seems to be concentrating on the key issue, which is how we enforce the international rule of law, as interpreted by the United Nations Security Council – or the rule of law as we understand it, which expects prisoners who have been condemned and duly sentenced to serve their sentences and not to be glorified by their countries,” he added.

“We must find a way to prevent such occurrences. We can condemn such things, which I think we do, but we need to find a way of resolving the issues so that two member countries of the Council of Europe can live peacefully together,” he concluded.