Zsolt Németh, Parliamentary State Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, asked Vilayat Guliyev, Azerbaijan’s Ambassador to Hungary, into his office on September 2 to inform Ambassador Guliyev about the position of the Government of Hungary. Hungary considers it unacceptable and expresses utter disapproval at the fact that Ramil Safarov, who was sentenced for manslaughter by Hungarian court, received pardon from the President of Azerbaijan.

State Secretary Zsolt Németh has pointed out that the measures made by Azerbaijan are contrary to the relevant rules of international law and blatantly contradict the promise officially confirmed by Azerbaijan earlier that Safarov would continue to serve his sentence in Azerbaijan. The steps taken by the Azeri party are not appropriate with respect to the relation of mutual trust that has developed between our countries over the past years, and which could serve to further improve our bilateral cooperation.

The Parliamentary State Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs handed over the following diplomatic note to the Ambassador of Azerbaijan:

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Hungary presents its compliments to the Embassy of the Republic of Azerbaijan in Budapest and has the honour to communicate the following.

The Government of Hungary was astonished to receive the news about the decision of the Azerbaijani side granting pardon to Ramil Sahib Safarov, who was sentenced to life imprisonment for manslaughter in 2006.

Hungary refuses to accept and condemns the action of Azerbaijan, which contradicts the relevant rules of international law and sharply contrasts the undertaking of the Azerbaijani side in this matter, confirmed by the Deputy Minister of Justice of the Republic of Azerbaijan in his letter XX-NBSKFO/3743/4/2012 of 15 August 2012 addressed to the Ministry of Public Administration and Justice of Hungary. In this letter the Republic of Azerbaijan quoting the relevant international Convention undertook that the sentenced person will serve the remaining part of his prison sentence in the Republic of Azerbaijan and may be released on conditional parole only after he has served at least 25 years of his sentence.

Hungary regards the decision of Azerbaijan inconsistent with the spirit of cooperation based on mutual trust that has been achieved during the past years between our respective countries.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Hungary avails itself of this opportunity to renew to the Embassy of the Republic of Azerbaijan in Budapest the assurances of its highest considerations.

(Ministry of Foreign Affairs)