The "historic" judgment of the European Court regarding the anti-Armenian policy of Azerbaijan is now final and irrevocable. Siranush Sahakyan, the representative of the applicants' interests at the European Court of Human Rights, wrote about this on her Facebook page.
On May 26, 2020, the European Court of Human Rights published the verdict in the case "Makuchyan and Minasyan v. Azerbaijan and Hungary", by which Azerbaijan was found responsible for the release and “heroization” of the criminal who brutally killed Armenian officer Gurgen Margaryan and attempted to kill another Armenian officer, Hayk Makuchyan.
“With this ruling, the European Court not only recorded that Azerbaijan violated its obligations under Article 2 (right to life) of the European Convention on Human Rights, but also stated that the impunity of Ramil Safarov, who was convicted for violent crimes committed on the basis of hatred, and the glorification of the top leadership of Azerbaijan was carried out on the basis of the victims’ nationality. As a result, the anti-Armenian policy of Azerbaijan has been documented for the first time by an international judicial act," Sahakyan noted.
On October 12 of this year, the European Court, discussing the possibility of the review of this judgment by the Grand Chamber, excluded it, emphasizing the entry into force of the judgment's provisions and their implementation.It means that on May 26, 2020, the judgment made by the European Court against Azerbaijan became legally binding.
According to Sahakyan, the execution of the verdict will demand that Azerbaijan punish its own murderer and stop the racist policy towards Armenians. This verdict on the anti-Armenian policy of Azerbaijan is already final, it cannot be reversed or questioned in any way. It is mandatory for everyone, including foreign political actors.
“The existence of an international court act with such content is a serious legal guarantee ensuring the protection of Armenians from Azerbaijani encroachments, which essentially excludes any solution that calls into question the safety of the people of Artsakh," concluded the human rights activist.