Lawyer: Refusal to hand over Permyakov to Armenian law enforcers illegal

“What relation and what legal force does the Constitution of Russia, in particular Article 61, have in the territory of independent Armenia? Under Article 14 of Armenia’s Criminal Code, a person who committed crime in the territory of Armenia shall undergo punishment in accordance with the Criminal Code of Armenia,” lawyer Norayr Norikyan told reporters today.

In his words, under the agreement on mutual legal assistance and the agreement on the Russian military base in Armenia, legislation of the Republic of Armenia applies to cases on crimes and other offences committed in the territory of Armenia by persons who are on the staff of the Russian military base and their family members. Armenian competent bodies can also be used with regard to such persons.

“On what legal grounds did the armed servicemen of the Russian military base look for the suspect in the city of Gyumri – the territory of Armenia? On what legal grounds was the suspect taken to the military base after his detention?” he asked.

The Office of Armenian Prosecutor General said yesterday that Russian soldier Valery Permyakov suspected of killing six members of a family in Armenia’s northwestern city of Gyumri will not be handed over to Armenian law enforcers.

“The Prosecutors General of Armenia and Russia discussed the details of the criminal case opened in connection with the Gyumri killings. It was stressed that all those guilty must be punished with the full rigor of the law,” Prosecutor General’s Office said.

According to the statement, the suspect Valery Permyakov is a Russian citizen and is under the jurisdiction of Russian investigatory bodies.

“Therefore the issue of handing V. Permyakov over to Armenian law enforcers is not discussed, given the ban in Article 61 clause 1 of the Constitution of Russia, according to which a Russian citizen may not be handed over to a foreign state.  Article 30.1 of Armenia’s Constitution also has such a ban, under which no Armenian citizen has ever been handed over to a foreign state,” Prosecutor’s Office said.