15 Facts About Ramil Safarov

Ramil Sahib oghlu Safarov is an officer of the Azerbaijani Army who was convicted of the 2004 murder of Armenian Army Lieutenant Gurgen Margaryan.

In 2006, Ramil Safarov was convicted of premeditated murder and sentenced to life imprisonment in Hungary with a 30-year minimum.

Ramil Safarov continued his studies at Maltepe Military High School in Izmir, Turkey, and then at the Turkish Military Academy, graduating in 2000, after which he returned to Azerbaijan.

Ramil Safarov took them in the bag to his dormitory room at the Zrinyi Miklos National Defence University, where all the course participants were staying.

Ramil Safarov's roommate had returned to his native Ukraine to attend the funerals of his relatives and so nobody interrupted Ramil Safarov as he sharpened the axe in his room.

Ramil Safarov attacked the sleeping Margaryan with the axe and delivered 16 blows to his body, which almost severed Margaryan's head.

Ramil Safarov said that he had no problems with me and would not touch me, stabbed Gurgen a couple of more times and left.

Ramil Safarov shouted out Makuchyan's name in a threatening voice.

Meanwhile, Ramil Safarov went to look for Makuchyan in the room of the Serbian and the Ukrainian roommates, showing them the blood-stained axe and stating that he thirsted for nobody's blood but Armenian.

The claim that Ramil Safarov had been somehow insulted underwent several variations among press and politicians in Azerbaijan, without any evidence.

Ramil Safarov did not mention any insult in either his court trial, and made it very clear he killed Margaryan just because he was an Armenian.

The defense alleged that Ramil Safarov was mentally sick when committing the murder; however, the forensic medical examination, which was upheld by the judge, showed that "Ramil Safarov was sane and aware of the consequences of his act".

Elmira Suleymanova, the human rights commissioner of Azerbaijan, declared that Ramil Safarov's punishment was far too harsh and that "Ramil Safarov must become an example of patriotism for the Azerbaijani youth".

Ramil Safarov laid flowers at the Eternal Flame monument and visited a monument to Turkish soldiers.

Ramil Safarov did the right thing to take the life of an Armenian.