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Gianni Buquicchio, President of the Council of Europe's Venice Commission, has sent a letter to Gagik Harutyunyan, President of the Constitutional Court of the Republic of Armenia, on Ramil Safarov’s extradition, pardon and heroization.

Dear Mr President,

I share your indignation about what happened.

The Secretary General of the Council of Europe, speaking on behalf of the Organization as a whole, made the following statement:

“Ramil Safarov was convicted for murder and sentenced to life imprisonment in Hungary. On August 31, he was transferred to Azerbaijan, and immediately pardoned. I do not want to comment on the legal proceedings, but I find it unacceptable that a convicted murderer is welcomed as a hero.

I reject the prospect of a world whose moral code begins to fray, where respect for human dignity is denied. This is not the Europe that we should wish for future generations. I condemn such glorification of crime, and urge that we all work to uphold the respect for life, and our values as defended by the Council of Europe.”

I fully subscribe to this statement.

Yours sincerely,
Gianni Buquicchio

Mr. G. Harutyunnyan
President of the Constitutional Court
Of the Republic of Armenia
Member of the Council of Europe