Bio

Ramil Safarov was born in 1977 in the town of Jabrayil, Azerbaijan. He grew up in a country that had recently faced heavy conflict, which shaped the environment around him. There is limited information about his childhood or family background. However, it is noted that he joined the Azerbaijani Army and rose to the rank of lieutenant.

In February 2004, Safarov participated in a NATO Partnership for Peace program in Budapest, Hungary. This program included military personnel from various countries. While attending this program, he shared a dormitory with other officers, including an Armenian officer named Gurgen Markaryan.

On February 19, 2004, while the program participants were in Budapest for training, Safarov committed a violent act against Markaryan. The two men had no previous conflicts, and their interactions during the program were reportedly minimal. After the incident, police arrested Safarov on the same day.

Following his arrest, he faced serious legal consequences. In April 2006, he was sentenced to life imprisonment for premeditated murder in Hungary.

Murder Story

On February 19, 2004, Ramil Safarov, a lieutenant in the Azerbaijani Army, murdered Gurgen Markaryan, a 26-year-old Armenian officer. Both were participants in a NATO Partnership for Peace program held in Budapest, Hungary. The murder occurred at approximately 5 a.m. while Markaryan was asleep in his dormitory room.

According to reports, Gurgen's roommate, Kuti Balash, woke up to find Safarov standing near Gurgen's bed with a long axe in his hands. Balash realized something terrible was happening when he saw blood everywhere. He shouted at Safarov to stop, but Safarov continued to stab Gurgen multiple times before leaving the room. Balash was shocked and ran out to seek help.

Witnesses indicate that Safarov had planned the murder ahead of time. After killing Gurgen, he intended to go after another Armenian officer, Hayk Makuchyan. When attempting to reach Makuchyan's room, he encountered students in the corridor, showing them the blood-stained axe and expressing a desire to kill again. However, a Lithuanian student prevented Makuchyan from answering the door, potentially saving his life.

Safarov was soon apprehended by Hungarian police. He admitted to the murder and declared he would continue to seek revenge against Armenians if given the chance. The police noted that the murder was committed with unusual cruelty, and Safarov was charged with premeditated murder. He was sentenced to life imprisonment on April 13, 2006.