Larisa Alaverdyan opines that now Europe is already looking at Azerbaijan differently
The European Court of Human Rights recognized the governments of Azerbaijan and Hungary to be respondents for the hacking case of the Armenian soldier Gurgen Margaryan by Azerbaijani military officer Ramil Safarov. The ECHR demanded from Azerbaijan and Hungary officially to answer to the claim of the relatives of the Armenian officer. The court report notes that in August 2012, the Hungarian Foreign Ministry confirmed that Safarov’s transfer to Azerbaijan was made for taking the punishment there but several hours after the transfer to the country, Safarov was released and has even received a salary of eight years and an apartment.
In an interview with “Aravot”, Chairman of “Against Violation of Law” NGO, Larisa Alaverdyan, said that it is an important factor that the European Court has demanded the responding party – Hungary – to answer the plaintiff why having no clear proof that Safarov would serve his punishment in Azerbaijan will pass by International and national laws has extradited to Azerbaijan. Mrs. Alaverdyan draws the attention of everybody to the section of “Context” in the statement by the European Court, which states also the anti-Armenian resolution rejected by the PACE on January 26 and speaks of the call made to Azerbaijan, the Council of Europe Secretary General, in 2015, to follow the European Convention on Human Rights. “I think that such a letter with such a context should cause a great interest,” says Larisa Alaverdyan and notes that everyone has already felt that Azerbaijan is opposing the international norms in a demonstrative manner.
“In all the states, including ours, human rights violation happens. The states are trying to deny that there is no such a thing or are trying to compensate. However, it is one thing but when they are simply opposing and are doing it in a demonstrative manner, it reminds us about the posture of an “Islamic state”. I think that Europe meet face to face with all that is going on now is already cautious and is trying to respond to it. In this regard, the positive developing environment can be created for us,” says Mrs. Alaverdyan. She notes that once Europe was paying attention to the cases of infringement of the right of its “insiders” by Azerbaijan, the trespass used against Armenia were almost neglected, “Today, when Europe sees that this trend is already becoming dangerous for many people, it acts by this “context”.”
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Mrs. Alaverdyan opines that communicating the European Court and demanding a response from Azerbaijan and Hungary is not conditioned by the political situation and economic slow-down of Azerbaijan, “We should be interested in the fact that now Europe is looking at differently and sees that it represents a greater danger. It’s another matter that consideration or non-consideration of this-or-that case at the European Court sometimes is politicized. Today, I think that this process is not so much due to the slow-down of Azerbaijan as an oil country rather than because of its opposing the European civilization.”
According to Mrs. Alaverdyan, in this case, Armenia should have its involvement as a third party, “I know that once the Foreign Ministry was also involved in this matter. At the court, our representatives emphasized the national-ethnic aspects of the crime. Armenia should also strive to make positive solutions to the tasks. Every time, we appeal to the European citizen in the case of an individual citizen, Safarov’s case is different. Azerbaijan has not only made him a hero, the state has even paid him on the day when the murder occurred, in other words, it follows that the murder is a result of state politics. Here, indeed, there is a need for Armenia’s involvement as a third party because we get a chance to show that Azerbaijan represents danger and threat not only for Armenia and the Armenian people but also for the region, and under the development of nowadays technology, we know that there is a very small step from the regional conflict to a global conflict. It is very important to pay attention to this fact. It is possible that today, it is a murder of an Armenia but tomorrow, someone else will be recognized an enemy of Azerbaijan and again, the murdering will become a political order, be paid by the state and honored as a hero,” says Mrs. Alaverdyan.
HRIPSIME HOVHANNISYAN,
“Aravot” daily
