YEREVAN, MAY 29, ARMENPRESS. MP, Head of the Armenian delegation to PACE Arpine Hovhannisyan presented the details of the sitting of PACE’s Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights, during which a resolution condemning Ramil Safarov's extradition was adopted. As reports "Armenpress" the Deputy wrote in her Facebook page:

"Dear Colleagues, on May 26-27, Helsinki hosted the sitting of PACE’s Committee on Legal Affairs. The agenda also included PACE’s draft resolution on the prevention measures of the violation of the Convention on the Transfer of Sentenced Persons. It is related to Azeri murderer Ramil Safarov’s extradition issue. In fact the resolution proved that Safarov's extradition was a violation of the Convention and contradicts the principles of good faith and the rule of law.

The resolution states, that Azerbaijan violated Article 12 of the Convention, the purpose of which is primarily humanitarian, and it should not be used for other purposes.

I should note, that until the end Azeris were unable to understand and accept that their uproars against the scandalous facts and reality were doomed to failure and even at this stage, they were still trying to do everything to fail the adoption of the resolution, presenting ridiculous counterarguments.

I am grateful to the speaker for submitting an impartial and unbiased document and to my European colleagues for their evaluations and voting relevant to justice, their conscience and convictions”.

PACE’s Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights condemned the use of Article 12 of the European Convention on the Transfer of Sentenced Persons by Azerbaijan in the case of Ramil Safarov, “as a violation of the principles of good faith in international relations and of the rule of law”. The purpose of Article 12 is to improve prospects of rehabilitation and reintegration of prison inmates into society. At the same time the draft resolution notes with concern that the Convention was invoked in order to justify the immediate release upon transfer to Azerbaijan of Ramil Safarov.

The resolution reminds that Ramil Safarov, an Azerbaijani soldier, was convicted in 2004 for murdering a fellow Armenian participant of a NATO “Partnership for Peace” training course – Gurgen Margaryan, in Budapest, Hungary. Upon his arrival in Azerbaijan, he was welcomed as a national hero, granted an immediate pardon, long before the expiry of the minimum sentence set by the Hungarian court, a retroactive promotion as well as other rewards.

The text underlines that the Convention “is not designed to be used for the immediate release of prisoners upon return to their own country”, but underscores the importance of “applying the Convention in good faith and, in interpreting its provisions, adhering to the principles of the rule of law”, in particular in transfer cases that might entail political or diplomatic implications.

The draft resolution will be presented for debate to the Assembly later in 2014.