Armenian Gay and Lesbian Association of New York (AGLA NY) demands resignation of Hungary PM Viktor Orban over axe murderer Safarov fiasco

September 12, 2012

The Board and members of the Armenian Gay and Lesbian Association of New York (AGLA NY) would like to officially state their dismay concerning the Hungarian government’s extradition to Azerbaijian on August 31st, 2012 of former Azerbaijan Army lieutenant Ramil Safarov, who had already served eight years in a Budapest jail for killing Gurgen Margarian in 2004. As has been widely reported in the press, Margarian, an Armenian officer who was a fellow participant in a NATO Partnership for Peace exercise, was hacked to death in his sleep with an ax by Safarov.

The Hungarian government originally stated that it transferred the prisoner to Azerbaijan on the understanding that he would serve out the rest of his life sentence in his home country. It is difficult to take such a statement at face value, given the fact that Ilham Aliyev, the dictator who runs Azerbaijian, has referred to Armenians in only the most vile of terms and continually threatened to destroy Armenia and Nagorno-Karabagh by military means. In later statements it seems that Prime Minister Orban may have known all along that Margarian would be pardoned once in Azerbaijian. Not surprisingly upon his arrival in Baku, Lieutenant Safarov was pardoned by President Ilham Aliyev, restored to military duties and promoted to major. He was also given an apartment and awarded back pay for his time in prison. In the press, Safarov has been hailed as a national hero when he has perpetrated a hate crime, pure and simple.

The pardoning of Safarov sets back the quest for peace in the Caucasus, as it is a direct provocation to the Republic of Armenia.

The United States, the United Nations and other international organizations and governments should apply all available pressure on the Azeri government to honor its agreement with Hungary and return Safarov to where he belongs for the rest of his life—a jail cell. We also second the motion of the Hungarian opposition party for the Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban—who has admitted to approving Safarov’s transfer to Baku—to resign immediately.

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Read also: Epic shame for Hungary as axe murderer Ramil Safarov extradited to Azerbaijan to be pardoned and turned into ‘national hero’

‘Breaking news’: Gay military parade in downtown Tbilisi, Georgia

OK-OK. Not quite yet. It is Georgian ‘Onion News’ making fun of Georgian homophobes and their false patriotism.

There is this website called Ni2 News (ni2 (“niori”) in Georgian means “garlic”). Group of authors reflect on current news and make their very own ‘fake news’/satire, a Georgian version of ‘Onion News’. It is really funny.

This particular ‘breaking news’ relates to the recent NATO led exercises in Georgia widely opposed by Russia. The news says that after NATO trainings finished Israeli army expressed interest to train their Georgian peers. As we know, it is possible in Israeli army to be openly gay. So this time a gay unit called "SodGom" will come to Georgia to train Georgian army. After training is over, they will parade on Rustaveli avenue (the main street in Tbilisi). Georgia is happy with this decision because it increases defence capacity and simultaneously brings itself closer to the EU with this show of respect to the rights of sexual minorities.

With this post, Ni2 News reflects upon recent homophobic statements and actions in Georgia (and anti gay pride march hysteria), particularly those from Church connected far right orthodox groups. The ‘news’ item plays with the fact that due to traditional Georgian hospitality they will not dare to bully foreign (guest) soldiers. They won't have enough balls to go and fight one of the best armies in the world, and they won't endanger the military partnership with the West. So they have to suck up to the gay march on the main street of their country. :)

Hilarious. One of their previous ‘news’ was about Carl Lagerfeld getting a contract from Georgian church to update their outfits.

*Thanks to Paata and Saba for info and translation.
**photo - via Ni2 News