Russian soldier accused of massacring Armenian family pleads guilty

January 22, 2015 By administrator

Russian Pvt. Valery Permyakov who stands accused of the gruesome murder of a family of seven in a northwestern Armenian city, has pleaded guilty to the charges brought against him by law enforcement agencies, Armenia’s Investigative Committee said.

Permyakov had been serving at Russian military base near Gyumri, Armenia’s second largest city, when he deserted his post. On January 12 he stormed the Avetisyan family residence and fatally shot all of the members of the family, including a six month old baby who died of wounds a week later on account of the attack.

After fleeing the scene, Permyakov was detained by Russian border guards while trying to cross the Armenian-Turkish border dressed in civilian clothing. He remains in Russian custody.

Last week, mass protests shook both Gyumri and Yerevan as Armenians demanded that Permyakov face trial in Armenia and that the soldier’s commanders also be held accountable.

Currently, Russian and Armenian authorities are conducting a joint investigation into the incident. Chief of Russia’s Investigative Committee Aleksandr Bastrykin is in Gyumri working on the case.

Russian presidential spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said on Wednesday that Permyakov is to be tried by a Russian court.

“Since he is a citizen of Russia, he is naturally subject to the laws of the Russian Federation and it will be a Russian trial,” Peskov said in an interview with a local Gyumri TV channel adding that “[the] Russian legislature has no mercy for such monstrous crimes.”

Earlier Bastrykin said that Permyakov will be publicly tried in Armenia. The two statements do not contradict one other as he can be tried on Armenian territory by Russian judges under the Russian laws and could serve his term in a Russian prison.

Gyumri massacre suspect to be tried under Russian law: official

January 21, 2015 By administrator

Valery Permyakov, the Russian soldier who is the main suspect in the murder of the Avetisyan family in Gyumri, will be tried in court according to the laws of the Russian Federation, Russian president’s spokesman said, according to Civilnet.

“Because he is a citizen of Russia, it’s natural that he should be tried according to Russian laws and by a Russian court. It is necessary to note that the leader of the Russian Investigative Committee is working in Gyumri and he has been tasked by the Russian president to work together with Armenian investigators. However, there will be a Russian trial and for such a monstrous crime, Russian law is absolutely merciless,” Dmitry Peskov said in an interview with Galatv.am on January 20.

That same day, Alexander Bastrykin, Head of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation had a meeting with his Armenian counterpart Aghvan Hovsepyan and President Serzh Sargsyan.

During that meeting Serzh Sargsyan said that the Gyumri tragedy required steadfastness and “unprecedented consistency” to disclose all the details. He went on to stress that the law enforcement bodies of both Armenia and Russia must continue cooperating effectively to ensure a logical end to the process.

In the early morning hours of January 12, six members of the Avetisyan family were shot in their home and their six-month-old infant Seryozha Avetisyan was stabbed. The accused is Russian soldier Valery Permyakov stationed at the 102nd Russian Military Base in Gyumri. Permyakov was apprehended by Russian military personnel while trying to cross the Armenian-Turkish border. He is currently being held in custody at the Russian base. On January 14 and 15 protests took place in Gyumri and Yerevan demanding that the accused be handed over to Armenian authorities to stand trial in an Armenian court. On January 19, Seryozha Avetisyan succumbed to his injuries and died in hospital in Yerevan. A requiem service for the infant took place on January 20 in Gyumri.

Photo: RIA Novosti

Related links:

Galatv Interview with Dmitry Peskov

Civilnet. ‘Armenian Territory’ but Russian Trial

Russian soldier accused of slaughtering family to be tried in Armenia

January 20, 2015 By administrator

A Russian soldier suspected of slaying a family in Armenia after going AWOL will be tried in Armenia. The two countries will jointly investigate the grizzly crime that provoked mass demonstrations.

Valery Permyakov, who served at a Russian military base in Armenia, is suspected of murdering a family in Gyumri, Armenia’s second-largest city, on January 12.

Six people were shot dead in the house while the seventh victim, a six-month-old baby boy, died days later from a stab wound.

The AWOL soldier is believed to have been trying to desert. He broke into a random house to get food and went on a killing rampage after being found by the owners, according to media reports.

“At a meeting in Yerevan, representatives from the Armenian and Russian investigations… agreed on a coordinated effort to conduct a comprehensive investigation,” Sona Tryzyan, spokeswoman for the Armenian Investigative Committee, announced on Tuesday.

Aleksandr Bastrykin, who heads the Russian Investigative Committee, assured that both the prosecution and trial of the suspect would be held in Armenia, in accordance with international law and bilateral agreements between the two countries. The Russian official is currently visiting Armenia to tackle the fallout following the tragic incident.

The high-profile crime caused uproar in Armenia and a massive rally gathered in front of the Russian Consulatelast Thursday. The protesters demanded that Permyakov be handed over and brought to justice in Armenia.

The rally became violent when demonstrators started pelting police officers guarding the base with stones and other projectiles. In the ensuing clash, 26 people, most of them police officers, were injured.

Permyakov was arrested the day after the massacre as he was trying to cross the border with Turkey. Russian border guards, who are helping their Armenian colleagues to patrol its borders, captured the man and handed him over to the base, where he is currently being held in custody.

Armenia clashes over Russian soldier

January 16, 2015 By administrator

The clashes began as protesters tried to march to the Russian consulate in Gyumri.

At least 12 people have been wounded in clashes in Armenia between police and protesters demanding the handover of a Russian soldier accused of killing six members of a local family.

The violence erupted when thousands of protesters in Gyumri tried to march on the Russian consulate in Armenia’s second-largest city.

Valery Permyakov, a soldier at a Russian base in Armenia, is suspected of killing the family on Monday.

He is being held at the Russian base.

Russia has promised to investigate the shootings, but has so far refused to hand the soldier over to Armenian authorities.

Earlier on Thursday, thousands of people attended funerals of the six members of the family – including a two-year-old girl – in Gyumri, about 120km (75 miles) north-west of the capital Yerevan.

The incident has raised tensions between Russia and Armenia, a close ally of Moscow in the Caucasus region.

A total of 21 people were taken to police stations during Thursday’s demonstrations in #Gyumri city. #Armenia pic.twitter.com/FtzROzvgVS

— Mesrop Andranikyan (@MesAndranikyan) January 16, 2015

Azeri soldier who filmed Armenian copter downing punished

December 6, 2014 By administrator

The soldier who filmed the downing of the Armenian helicopter by the Azeri armed forces on November 2 has been punished, Azeri media report.

The statement came from the Azeri Defense Ministry spokesman Vagif Dergahly in response to a comment by MP Agil Abbas.

At a December 5 information security meeting hosting government and media representatives, Abbas asked whether the soldier who posted the footage on Armenian helicopter downing online, was punished.

According to Dergahly, the soldier was immediately identified: “serious measures were taken in this regard. Further details cannot be disclosed in view of the classified nature of the information.”

Mi-24 helicopter belonging to the Nagorno Karabakh army was shot during a training flight as result of ceasefire violation by the Azerbaijani armed forces on Nov 12, at about 1pm local time. The attack took place not far from the line of contact.

The NKR State Commission on prisoners of war, hostages and the missing persons appealed to the International Committee of Red Cross mission in the NKR with regards to the fate of the crewmembers, one of whom could possibly survive the crash. However, Azerbaijan continued to keep the site under fire.

As a result of a special operation on Nov 21 night, NKR armed forces retrieved the body of one crew member, the remains of two pilots and some helicopter wreckage.

News.az. Soldiers who filmed downing of Armenian helicopter punished