Man charged with Gyumri mass murder to be tried under Russian law

A Russian court will examine the case of Russian soldier Valery Permyakov charged with murdering a family of seven in Gyumri, the press spokesman for Russian president Dmitry Peskov said.

“He is a Russian citizen and naturally, there are laws of the Russian Federation and it will be a Russian court,” Peskov said in an interview with Gala TV channel, Armenia.

In his words, the trial will be held under Russian laws. At the same time Peskov stressed that “the head of Russia’s Investigative Committee is currently working  in Gyumri, and on the instructions of the president he is working in cooperation with Armenian investigators. They are involved in investigatory actions so the investigation is being conducted jointly”.

“But it will be a Russian trial, and in this case Russian laws are absolutely merciless to such monstrous crimes,” the Russian president’s spokesman added. 

Six members of the Avetisyan family were killed in Armenia’s northwestern city of Gyumri on January 12. The only survivor, six-month-old Seryozha Avetisyan, was hospitalized in critical condition, but he died on January 19, despite doctors’ efforts.

Serviceman of the Russian 102nd military base in Gyumri Valery Permyakov was detained on suspicion of the murder while attempting to cross the Armenian-Turkish border.  He was taken to the Russian military base in Gyumri and confessed to the crime.  On January 14 Permyakov was charged under articles of the Criminal Codes of Armenia and Russia.

Official representative of Russian Investigative Committee Vladimir Markin said on Tuesday that Russia and Armenia agreed to conduct a joint investigation of the murder circumstances and Permyakov’s trial. Both the investigation and the trial will be held in Armenia.

Interfax’s source familiar with the situation said that in all likelihood the Permyakov case will be examined by Russia’s military court. According to another source of Interfax, it is planned to hold an open trial.

As regards the words of Russian Investigative Committee Head Alexander Bastrykin who said the trial will be a public one, the source noted that in all likelihood, given public opinion and mood in Armenia, the trial be will broadcasted online, shown on screens outside the courtroom.