March 17, 2006 - 14:18 AMT
Speaking of Safarov's Extradition Premature, Baku Says
The regular court session on the case of Azeri officer Ramil Safarov is due in Budapest April 13. The judge will once again compare the conclusions of the four experts. "It would be good to invite the doctors to the hearing to express their opinion. This can have an impact on the court decision," member of the committee for Ramil Safarov's defense Azay Guliyev said.

In his words, it's premature to speak of Ramil Safarov's extradition to Azerbaijan. "Including the issue in the agenda should do harm to the Azeri party. Armenians would say Azerbaijan wishes to release Safarov. Thus, the extradition issue may be considered only after a fair verdict is brought," Guliyev said. "Life imprisonment for Ramil Safarov is not ruled out according to the Hungarian laws, however "there is no ground for such a verdict", he added.

To remind, February 19, 2004 lieutenant of the Armed Forces of Armenia Gurgen Margaryan, sent to Budapest to take English courses within the NATO Partnership for Peace Program, was brutally hacked by Azeri officer, who took the same courses. Safarov is indicted in compliance with article 116.2 of the Criminal Code of Hungary (murder, committed with special cruelty, and attempt at lives of over one person), which provides for punishment varying from imprisonment of 10-15 years to life sentence.