Seven years have passed since Gurgen Margaryanթ§Չ‚-Չ„§s assassination:Seven years have passed since that dreadful murder in Budapest. On 19th of February, 2004, Armenian Lieutenant Gurgen Margaryan was brutally assassinated in his sleep at about 5:30. The criminal murderer was Azerbaijani Ramil Safarov.

On the same day the criminal Azerbaijani attempted to kill another Armenian officer, but successfully, he was stopped. Both of Armenian officers traveled to Hungary to study English language in frames of NATO թ§Չ‚-ժ“Partnership for Peaceթ§Չ‚-Թ project.

Kuti Balash who shared the room with Gurgen Margaryan said later that officers of different nationalities were living in the same building, including the Azerbaijani. Gurgen and the Azerbaijani, and generally the rest of the officers, have never had any conflict. Hungarian officer could remember that they had been discussing regional conflicts only once, on the very first day, and was ceased on that.թ‚Թ 

Balash said that in the evening of February 18 he had tea and went to bed, but Gurgen continued his studies and at about 21:30 went to see his Armenian friend Hayk Makuchyan. The Hungarian said he didnթ§Չ‚-Չ„§t notice when Gurgen was back but could feel the light was on in the morning. He thought that was Gurgen, but he turned round when heard some voice and saw the Azerbaijani having an ax and standing near Gurgenթ§Չ‚-Չ„§s bed.

թ§Չ‚-ժ“I could see something terrible happened. There was blood everywhere. I began to cry in order the Azerbaijani stooped it. He said he had no problems with me and would not hurt me. He was happy, as if he finished an important work. I was shocked, I ran out to call anybody, Ramil went away,թ§Չ‚-Թ Hungarian officer remembered.

Having murdered the Armenian Lieutenant, Ramil went to repeat his crime against the other Armenian officer. In the corridor Ramil met an Uzbek officer and offered to join him to kill the Armenian guy. The Uzbek officer tried to calm the murderer but he failed to.

The Azerbaijani came to Makuchyanթ§Չ‚-Չ„§s room, but the door was closed. Angry Azerbaijani began to shout Makuchyanթ§Չ‚-Չ„§s name. Half sleeping Hayk wanted to open the door, but his Lithuanian room-mate saved his life twice թ§Չ‚-Չ€œ he stooped Hayk and called his compatriot next door and asked to check what was going on.
Azerbaijani was so furious, he was running through all the rooms trying to catch Hayk. Soon police officers appeared.

Safarov told police he was revengeful against the entire Armenian nation.

Police called the assassination politically motivated. Safarov is sentenced to life imprisonment.

Armenian Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Defense released tough statements condemning the assassination.