Hungarian historian Zoltan Biro, theologian Gabor Ivanyi, journalist Gabor Deak and writer Rudolf Ungvary visited Gurgen Margaryan’s tomb at Yerablur Pantehon today.
Armenian Officer Gurgen Margaryan was axed by Azeri Ramil Safarov during NATO courses in Budapest in 2004. On April 16, 2006, the Hungarian court sentenced Safarov to life imprisonment without possibility of appeal until 2036.
In late August 2012, however, Hungarian authorities agreed to release and extradite Safarov to Azerbaijan to serve the remainder of his sentence there. However, upon his arrival in Azerbaijan Safarov was pardoned by President Ilham Aliyev. Safarov has since been promoted to the rank of major and provided with accomodations by the Azerbaijan government.
At a press conference in Yerevan, the Hungarian intellectuals said Safarov’s transfer was an incomprehensible and unacceptable political decision, which faced the severe criticism of the majority of Hungarians.
