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Today’s court hearing of the Avetiisyan family murder case has ended. The trial is being held in the territory of the Russian 102nd military base in Gyumri, Armenia. The defendant is a former soldier of the Russian 102nd base, Valery Permyakov. Judge Harutyun Movsesyan presided over the court hearing, 

Judge Movsesyan rejected a petition filed by human rights activist, the head of Helsinki Citizens’ Assembly Vanadzor Office Arthur Sakunts who asked the court to remove the Russian servicemen from the courtroom.  The lawyers of the aggrieved party – the legal successors of the Avetisyans were recognized as aggrieved party – had joined that petition. The judge explained his decision by the fact that Russian soldiers ensure the security of V. Permyakov.

A lawyer for the aggrieved party, Ms. Lusine Sahakyan said at the court hearing  that “there is no problem  related to ensuring security since this issue is solved  by law enforcers of Armenia”.  Yet the petition was rejected by the prosecutors.

Valery Permyakov’s lawyer Edward Aghajanyan, who is a member of the Public Defendant Office of Armenia and was recently appointed as the defendant’s lawyer, also submitted a petition to the court asking that the trial be delayed for 30 days. The aggrieved party’s lawyers did not object to it. Lusine Sahakyan said that it takes quite a long time to become familiar with the materials of the case.

The next hearing is scheduled for January 18.

To remind, based on the evidence collected during the preliminary investigation, V. Permyakov was charged under the Armenian Criminal Code’s Article 104 part 2 points 1, 5, and 8 (contract murder of two or more people committed with cruelty, for mercenary motives, and combined with extortion, robbery or banditry), Article 175 part 2 points 3 and 4 (robbery committed after a break-in, with the use of weapons or other objects used as a weapon), and Article 34-329 part 1 (attempted violation of the state border of the Republic of Armenia without the necessary documents or permission). Permyakov pleaded guilty to the charges.   A Russian garrison military court subordinate to the North Caucasian district military court held a hearing on August 12 in the Armenian city of Gyumri. The court sentenced Valery Permyakov to 10 years in high-security prison for desertion and theft of weapons. The murder proceedings were separated into a case and transferred to the Armenian side.