EXCLUSIVE: New European Resolution Slams Azerbaijan for Ignoring Court Ruling in Gurgen Margaryan Murder Case

More than two decades after the brutal axe murder of Armenian officer Gurgen Margaryan by Azerbaijani Lieutenant Ramil Safarov, the case continues to haunt Europe and Armenia alike. Now, the Council of Europe’s Committee of Ministers has taken an unprecedented step—issuing an interim resolution against Azerbaijan for its continued failure to uphold the judgment of the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) in the landmark Makuchyan and Minasyan v. Azerbaijan and Hungary case.

In an exclusive interview with The Armenian Report, Siranush Sahakyan, the attorney representing the Margaryan family and the Legal representative at the European Court of Human Rights, explained the legal and political significance of this latest development.

According to Sahakyan, the Committee of Ministers has formally acknowledged Azerbaijan’s deliberate refusal to carry out the judgment and warned of potential consequences, including the start of enforcement proceedings and even the possible suspension of Azerbaijan’s membership in the Council of Europe.

“It is evident that the Azerbaijani side is willfully failing to comply with any court decision related to Armenians,” Sahakyan stated. “Of particular importance is the judgment related to Gurgen Margaryan.”

She emphasized that the international community is beginning to respond more forcefully. “This year, from June 10 to 12, a meeting of the Committee of Ministers on human rights was held in Strasbourg, where an interim resolution was adopted,” Sahakyan said. “This resolution serves as an exceptional measure in response to Azerbaijan’s failure to implement the judgment in the case of Makuchyan and Minasyan v. Azerbaijan. An interim resolution was adopted as an exceptional measure to prevent non-compliance with the Makuchyan and Minasyan judgment.”

The resolution demands immediate action from Baku. It calls for the payment of legal costs related to the case, the removal of all publications glorifying Safarov’s actions, and a formal commitment that the convicted murderer will not hold any public office. It also condemns the honors and privileges that have been awarded to Safarov—such as promotions, housing, and a hero’s welcome—which have no basis in Azerbaijani law but continue to be upheld by the government.

The roots of the case go back to February 19, 2004. Gurgen Margaryan, a 26-year-old Armenian Army officer, had traveled to Budapest, Hungary, to take part in a NATO Partnership for Peace program—a rare opportunity to build mutual understanding between officers from different countries. In the early hours of that morning, while Margaryan was asleep in his bed, Azerbaijani participant Ramil Safarov entered the room with an axe and carried out a horrific murder.

Hungarian police later confirmed that Margaryan was struck 16 times in the face and stabbed in the chest. The attack was so violent that his head was nearly severed from his body. Safarov later admitted during interrogation that he had planned to also kill another Armenian officer in the building, but the second door was locked. When asked about his motive, Safarov stated that he killed Margaryan simply because he was Armenian.

Despite attempts by Safarov’s legal team to argue that he was mentally unstable or suffering from post-war trauma, both Azerbaijani and international medical evaluations found him to be mentally competent. Hungarian courts sentenced him to life in prison, with no possibility of parole until 2036. That sentence, however, would not be enforced.

In 2012, Hungary extradited Safarov to Azerbaijan to serve the remainder of his sentence.

Although Hungary claimed it had received assurances that the sentence would be enforced, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev immediately issued a pardon. Safarov was not only freed but also promoted to the rank of major, awarded back pay for his years in prison, and provided with a government apartment. He was celebrated by government officials, praised in the press, and publicly declared a patriotic role model for Azerbaijani youth.

Armenia reacted with fury. Then-President Serzh Sargsyan announced the immediate suspension of diplomatic relations with Hungary, condemning both countries for allowing the glorification of a murderer whose crime was ethnically motivated. International human rights organizations also expressed alarm at the message this sent about hate crimes and justice.

In 2020, the European Court of Human Rights issued a judgment in the Makuchyan and Minasyan v. Azerbaijan and Hungary case. The court found that Azerbaijan had violated the right to life and committed discrimination by pardoning and glorifying Safarov. Hungary was largely cleared, though it faced criticism for failing to ensure that its extradition would not result in impunity.

But Azerbaijan has ignored the ruling. Five years later, it has failed to pay the awarded legal fees, has refused to retract state propaganda celebrating Safarov, and has allowed him to remain in high regard in the military and public life.

That defiance is what led the Committee of Ministers to adopt the rare interim resolution this past June in Strasbourg. This is considered a final warning—if Azerbaijan does not comply, the Council of Europe may launch enforcement proceedings. That process could bring the matter back before the European Court and ultimately lead to sanctions or even the suspension of Azerbaijan’s membership in the Council.

Attorney Siranush Sahakyan emphasized in her interview with The Armenian Report that the continued glorification of Safarov represents a danger not only to Armenians but to the broader international legal order. When a country blatantly ignores the rulings of the European Court, she explained, it undermines the entire framework of human rights protections across Europe.

Azerbaijan’s refusal to act on the Safarov case is just one example of what Armenia sees as a long-standing pattern of state-sponsored hatred and aggression. That hatred turned deadly in Budapest—and continues to echo today in courtrooms, parliaments, and international forums.

For the family of Gurgen Margaryan, justice has been long delayed. Whether it will ultimately be delivered depends not just on the outcome of legal proceedings—but on whether the international community has the courage to hold Azerbaijan accountable.

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