Armenian resident of Shakhty, Russia, Makar Hayrapetyan was axed to death by an Azeri named Vagif on July 25, 2010.
As reported by Yerkramas newspaper, Vagif settled in Shakhty after the pogroms in Sumgait, where he allegedly ‘rescued Armenians from the enraged crowd’. This was the story he told Makar, who believed the Azeri and registered him in his house, providing with job and material assistance.
According to the information available, one evening Makar and Vagif went out for barbecue. On their way back home, they had a dispute during which the Azeri ‘friend’ seized the axe lying on the backseat and started beating Makar. The blows were not deadly, as there was little room in the car to swing the arm. Makar managed to get out of the car but he fell down because of loss of blood. The infuriated Azeri ran him down and killed.
The law enforcement in Shakhty said it was a domestic crime. There is a rumor that Vagif owed Makar a large sum of money.
The police version could be acceptable but for one detail. Six years ago Azeri lieutenant Ramil Safarov axed to death 26-year-old Armenian lieutenant Gurgen Margaryan in his sleep. Both officers were taking an English-language course at the Hungarian University of National Defense as part of NATO's Partnership for Peace (PfP) program.
During the investigation Safarov confessed he killed Margaryan because of the latter’s nationality. A Budapest district court on April 13, 2006 sentenced Lieutenant Ramil Safarov to life imprisonment for the "premeditated, malicious, and cruel" murder. Safarov will be eligible for parole after serving 30 years of his sentence.
The hatred for Armenians being continuously spread in Azerbaijan did its dirty deed. Murder of an Armenian is not eyed as a crime in this country. On the contrary, killing defenseless people is rated as heroism in Azerbaijan.
