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Questions Remain Unanswered for the Fate of Confessed Killer of Gyumri Family
By Christian Garbis on January 20, 2015
Special for the Armenian Weekly
YEREVAN--Tensions run high and sorrow besets the Armenian nation one
week after the senseless killings of now seven victims in Armenia's
second largest city of Gyumri. Valery Permyakov, who confessed to
murdering the Avetisyan family, remains under arrest on the Russian
military base where he was serving. Just where he will finally be
tried and by what tribunal--Armenian or Russian--are still being
deliberated upon at this hour.
A scene from the funeral service of six members of the Avetisyan
family. Jan. 15, 2015. (Photo: Photolur)
In a phone conversation with President Serge Sarkisian on Jan. 18,
Russian President Vladimir Putin gave his assurances that a proper
investigation and subsequent outcome would be realized. He also
offered his condolences to the survivors of the deceased and the
entire Armenian nation.
That same day the presidential press service issued a statement from
Sarkisian reiterating that all the investigative bodies were devoting
their utmost attention to uncovering the motive for the killings.
The president of Russia's Investigative Committee, Alexandr Bastrikin,
flew to Yerevan on Jan. 19 to meet Aghvan Hovsepyan, chairman of the
Investigative Committee of Armenia, to discuss matters related to
legal jurisdiction for prosecuting Permyakov.
Preliminary investigations revealed that 18-year-old Permyakov
apparently entered the home by breaking the glass window in the front
door before killing six members of the Avetisyan family and harming
six-month-old boy Seryozha, who suffered stab wounds to the chest that
led to his death a week later. Another report stated that Permyakov
told interrogators he randomly picked the Avetisyan home in search of
water. Those slain included a married couple, their daughter, son,
daughter in law, and a granddaughter--only two years old.
Seryozha died on Jan. 19 from organ failure, despite hopeful signs and
a successful surgery performed in Yerevan. Putin had conveyed that if
necessary a special aircraft would be dispatched to send Seryozha, who
was the sole survivor of the attack, to Moscow for additional medical
treatment.
Permyakov is from Siberia and only began serving as an enlisted
soldier on the Gyumri military base two months ago.
On Jan. 10, he left the Russian base to go for a stroll through
Gyumri, according to his own testimony, with an assault rifle and two
loaded magazines. He claimed to have entered the Avetisyan residence
located just two kilometers from the base without knowing whether
anyone was home. Bizarrely, purportedly none of the neighbors heard
gunshots. According to Raffi Aslanian, the chief prosecutor of
Armenia's Shirak province, the victims were found in their beds.
Permyakov was captured by law enforcement officers after trying to
cross the Turkish border 12 hours after the murders were committed.
Speaking to the newspaper 168 Zham, Tamara Yayloyan, a defense
attorney who was assigned to defend Permyakov but resigned shortly
after hearing his initial testimony, stated that the gunman could not
explain why he committed the murders.
According to Yayloyan, after Permyakov was asked why he opened fire,
"He said, 'I don't know, they made noise, one of them reached for a
mobile phone and I opened fire.' When asked why he stabbed the babies
he said, 'I don't know.' He responded to almost every question with 'I
don't know' or 'I can't explain.'"
The Avetisyan family funeral, which was held on Jan. 15, was attended
by hundreds of people. Colonel Alexey Polyukhovich, a deputy commander
of the Gyumri military base, National Assembly President Galust
Sahakian, and many Armenian officials were also present.
Prosecutor-general Gevorg Kostanian revealed in a press conference on
Jan. 15 that although Permyakov will not be extradited, both Russian
and Armenian special criminal investigative teams will work hand in
hand to carry out the investigation.
As of Jan. 19 a final decision on extradition has yet to be made,
despite the fact that Russian soldiers serving on the military base
who commit crimes are subject to Armenian law-enforcement and judicial
bodies, per a bilateral treaty signed in 1997 between Armenia and
Russia.
Permyakov will be kept under custody on the Russian military base
until the trial venue has been determined. It remains unclear as to
whether Permyakov will be prosecuted by a Russian military tribunal in
Yerevan or by an Armenian court.
Protesters in Gyumri and Yerevan have been making several demands,
including having the Russian military base closed and insisting that
Permyakov be turned over to Armenian law enforcement.
Two thousand protesters reportedly assembled during the afternoon on
Jan. 15 in Gyumri, while several hundred people clashed with police
there near the Russian consulate that same evening, resulting in 14
people being wounded, including 5 policemen, and 13 detained,
according to Public Radio of Armenia. Later RFE/RL reported those
wounded included 18 officers and 10 citizens, while 21 mostly male
protesters were detained. All of them were released the next day. A
small protest was also held in front of the Russian Embassy in Yerevan
on Jan. 15.
After Seryozha's death was announced, Armenian police dispatched
numerous officers to Gyumri to secure government buildings and Russian
sites in anticipation of renewed protests.
Adding insult to injury, a Russian social media group known as
"Anti-Maidan: Armenia," started an online pro-Permyakov campaign
calling for the perpetrator to be brought under Russian protection and
encouraging violence on all Armenians who demand a trial on Armenian
soil. The group has purportedly proclaimed Permyakov a "prisoner of
conscience."
International vigils for the Avetisyan family have been held as far
away as Los Angeles and as close by as Tbilisi. Social media outlets
like Facebook and Twitter have served as grieving forums where peers
share their outrage, frustration, and sadness for the tragic events of
the past week.
"There is a saying in Armenian, 'tsavet tanem,' but now more than ever
and in their most literal sense, those words ring in my heart," wrote
one Facebook poster, Alina Aghajanian of Los Angeles, who was a
Birthright Armenia volunteer working in Gyumri in 2014. "I wish I
could take your pain away. Though 2015 started with tragedy and
uncertainty, your voices are clear for all those listening to and
supporting Gyumri," she wrote.
http://armenianweekly.com/2015/01/20/questions-unanswered-gyumri/
By Christian Garbis on January 20, 2015
Special for the Armenian Weekly
YEREVAN--Tensions run high and sorrow besets the Armenian nation one
week after the senseless killings of now seven victims in Armenia's
second largest city of Gyumri. Valery Permyakov, who confessed to
murdering the Avetisyan family, remains under arrest on the Russian
military base where he was serving. Just where he will finally be
tried and by what tribunal--Armenian or Russian--are still being
deliberated upon at this hour.
A scene from the funeral service of six members of the Avetisyan
family. Jan. 15, 2015. (Photo: Photolur)
In a phone conversation with President Serge Sarkisian on Jan. 18,
Russian President Vladimir Putin gave his assurances that a proper
investigation and subsequent outcome would be realized. He also
offered his condolences to the survivors of the deceased and the
entire Armenian nation.
That same day the presidential press service issued a statement from
Sarkisian reiterating that all the investigative bodies were devoting
their utmost attention to uncovering the motive for the killings.
The president of Russia's Investigative Committee, Alexandr Bastrikin,
flew to Yerevan on Jan. 19 to meet Aghvan Hovsepyan, chairman of the
Investigative Committee of Armenia, to discuss matters related to
legal jurisdiction for prosecuting Permyakov.
Preliminary investigations revealed that 18-year-old Permyakov
apparently entered the home by breaking the glass window in the front
door before killing six members of the Avetisyan family and harming
six-month-old boy Seryozha, who suffered stab wounds to the chest that
led to his death a week later. Another report stated that Permyakov
told interrogators he randomly picked the Avetisyan home in search of
water. Those slain included a married couple, their daughter, son,
daughter in law, and a granddaughter--only two years old.
Seryozha died on Jan. 19 from organ failure, despite hopeful signs and
a successful surgery performed in Yerevan. Putin had conveyed that if
necessary a special aircraft would be dispatched to send Seryozha, who
was the sole survivor of the attack, to Moscow for additional medical
treatment.
Permyakov is from Siberia and only began serving as an enlisted
soldier on the Gyumri military base two months ago.
On Jan. 10, he left the Russian base to go for a stroll through
Gyumri, according to his own testimony, with an assault rifle and two
loaded magazines. He claimed to have entered the Avetisyan residence
located just two kilometers from the base without knowing whether
anyone was home. Bizarrely, purportedly none of the neighbors heard
gunshots. According to Raffi Aslanian, the chief prosecutor of
Armenia's Shirak province, the victims were found in their beds.
Permyakov was captured by law enforcement officers after trying to
cross the Turkish border 12 hours after the murders were committed.
Speaking to the newspaper 168 Zham, Tamara Yayloyan, a defense
attorney who was assigned to defend Permyakov but resigned shortly
after hearing his initial testimony, stated that the gunman could not
explain why he committed the murders.
According to Yayloyan, after Permyakov was asked why he opened fire,
"He said, 'I don't know, they made noise, one of them reached for a
mobile phone and I opened fire.' When asked why he stabbed the babies
he said, 'I don't know.' He responded to almost every question with 'I
don't know' or 'I can't explain.'"
The Avetisyan family funeral, which was held on Jan. 15, was attended
by hundreds of people. Colonel Alexey Polyukhovich, a deputy commander
of the Gyumri military base, National Assembly President Galust
Sahakian, and many Armenian officials were also present.
Prosecutor-general Gevorg Kostanian revealed in a press conference on
Jan. 15 that although Permyakov will not be extradited, both Russian
and Armenian special criminal investigative teams will work hand in
hand to carry out the investigation.
As of Jan. 19 a final decision on extradition has yet to be made,
despite the fact that Russian soldiers serving on the military base
who commit crimes are subject to Armenian law-enforcement and judicial
bodies, per a bilateral treaty signed in 1997 between Armenia and
Russia.
Permyakov will be kept under custody on the Russian military base
until the trial venue has been determined. It remains unclear as to
whether Permyakov will be prosecuted by a Russian military tribunal in
Yerevan or by an Armenian court.
Protesters in Gyumri and Yerevan have been making several demands,
including having the Russian military base closed and insisting that
Permyakov be turned over to Armenian law enforcement.
Two thousand protesters reportedly assembled during the afternoon on
Jan. 15 in Gyumri, while several hundred people clashed with police
there near the Russian consulate that same evening, resulting in 14
people being wounded, including 5 policemen, and 13 detained,
according to Public Radio of Armenia. Later RFE/RL reported those
wounded included 18 officers and 10 citizens, while 21 mostly male
protesters were detained. All of them were released the next day. A
small protest was also held in front of the Russian Embassy in Yerevan
on Jan. 15.
After Seryozha's death was announced, Armenian police dispatched
numerous officers to Gyumri to secure government buildings and Russian
sites in anticipation of renewed protests.
Adding insult to injury, a Russian social media group known as
"Anti-Maidan: Armenia," started an online pro-Permyakov campaign
calling for the perpetrator to be brought under Russian protection and
encouraging violence on all Armenians who demand a trial on Armenian
soil. The group has purportedly proclaimed Permyakov a "prisoner of
conscience."
International vigils for the Avetisyan family have been held as far
away as Los Angeles and as close by as Tbilisi. Social media outlets
like Facebook and Twitter have served as grieving forums where peers
share their outrage, frustration, and sadness for the tragic events of
the past week.
"There is a saying in Armenian, 'tsavet tanem,' but now more than ever
and in their most literal sense, those words ring in my heart," wrote
one Facebook poster, Alina Aghajanian of Los Angeles, who was a
Birthright Armenia volunteer working in Gyumri in 2014. "I wish I
could take your pain away. Though 2015 started with tragedy and
uncertainty, your voices are clear for all those listening to and
supporting Gyumri," she wrote.
http://armenianweekly.com/2015/01/20/questions-unanswered-gyumri/