AUSTRALIA: Leading Armenian-Australian churches, political organisations and relief organisations have joined to Protest at the Hungarian Consulate in Canberra on Friday, 14 September.

In 2006, Azeri lieutenant Ramil Safarov was handed to a life sentence for the premeditated axe murder of Armenian lieutenant Gurgen Margaryan, who was asleep at the time, while they were both taking part in NATO’s Partnership for Peace program in Hungary.

In late August 2012, Hungarian authorities extradited Safarov back to Azerbaijan after receiving “assurances” from Azeri authorities that he would serve the remainder of his sentence in Azerbaijan. However, upon his return to Baku, Azerbaijan president Ilham Aliyev pardoned Safarov, and he is now being hailed as a national hero.

The Protest in Canberra will express the Armenian-Australian community's condemnation of Hungary's deal to extradite Safarov.

Buses to and from Canberra have been organised for the day. See details on flyer below.