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Archbishop Mikael Ajapahian Warns Of Fresh Anti-Russian Protests in Gyumri
By MassisPost
Updated: January 26, 2015
GYUMRI (RFE/RL) -- Primate of Shirak Diocese Archbishop Mikael
Ajapahian has warned angry street protests in Gyumri could reignite if
Russian authorities fail to hand over a Russian soldier charged with
killing seven members of a local family to Armenian law-enforcement
bodies. He said renewed anti-government and anti-Russian
demonstrations in Armenia's second-largest city would have
"unpredictable consequences."
"The people may again take to the streets if there is again a careless
statement or wrong approach and the people's minimum demand is not
fulfilled," Ajapahian told RFE/RL's Armenian service (Azatutyun.am).
"And what the people are demanding is not a big deal. The people's
demands are feasible. They simply want the criminal to be handed over
to Armenian law-enforcers."
"God forbid that the people feel that they have been rebuffed. That
would lead to unpredictable consequences," added the head of Shirak
Diocese .
Arch. Ajapahian was worried about the kind of unrest that followed the
January 12 killing spree blamed on Valery Permyakov, a soldier from
the Russian military base headquartered in Gyumri. Permyakov has been
kept in the base ever since being arrested hours after the massacre.
Scores of people rallied outside key government buildings as well as
Russian facilities in Gyumri on January 14 and January 15 to demand
the suspect's handover to Armenian law-enforcement bodies. Hundreds of
them clashed riot police outside the local Russian consulate.
While backing their demands, Ajapahian has deplored the violence. He
urged the Gyumri citizens to avoid further unrest last week as he held
a requiem service for 6-month-old Seryozha Avetisian, who died of his
stab wounds one week after his 2-year-old sister, parents, aunt and
grandparents were found dead in their home.
"I can't work as a perpetual lighting rod," the respected archbishop
said on Monday.
The Armenian and Russian authorities have scrambled since January 15
to reassure the locals that the gruesome crime will be fully solved.
They have pledged to coordinate their separate inquiries into the
killings and said that Permyakov will stand trial in Armenia. However,
a spokesman for Russian President Vladimir Putin indicated last week
that the 18-year-old will be tried in a Russian military court.
In Yerevan, meanwhile, Hunan Poghosian, a deputy chief of the Armenian
police, said on Monday that he personally visited the Russian base and
demanded Permyakov's extradition immediately after the latter was
caught by Russian border guards deployed on the nearby Turkish border.
"But that's not an issue that could have been solved on the basis of
demand," said Poghosian during a news conference. "As you all know,
the issue is on the legal plane and should be solved within the
framework of treaties between the two countries."
Phoghosian spoke of "unprecedented" cooperation between Armenian and
Russian officials investigating the crime.
The police general also confirmed reports that more than 100 Gyumri
residents have been summoned to local police stations and questioned
in connection with the January 15 violent protest. He said 27 of them
might face accusations of hooliganism or resistance to police. None of
them has been formally charged yet.
http://massispost.com/2015/01/archbishop-mikael-ajapahian-warns-of-fresh-anti-russian-protests-in-gyumri/
By MassisPost
Updated: January 26, 2015
GYUMRI (RFE/RL) -- Primate of Shirak Diocese Archbishop Mikael
Ajapahian has warned angry street protests in Gyumri could reignite if
Russian authorities fail to hand over a Russian soldier charged with
killing seven members of a local family to Armenian law-enforcement
bodies. He said renewed anti-government and anti-Russian
demonstrations in Armenia's second-largest city would have
"unpredictable consequences."
"The people may again take to the streets if there is again a careless
statement or wrong approach and the people's minimum demand is not
fulfilled," Ajapahian told RFE/RL's Armenian service (Azatutyun.am).
"And what the people are demanding is not a big deal. The people's
demands are feasible. They simply want the criminal to be handed over
to Armenian law-enforcers."
"God forbid that the people feel that they have been rebuffed. That
would lead to unpredictable consequences," added the head of Shirak
Diocese .
Arch. Ajapahian was worried about the kind of unrest that followed the
January 12 killing spree blamed on Valery Permyakov, a soldier from
the Russian military base headquartered in Gyumri. Permyakov has been
kept in the base ever since being arrested hours after the massacre.
Scores of people rallied outside key government buildings as well as
Russian facilities in Gyumri on January 14 and January 15 to demand
the suspect's handover to Armenian law-enforcement bodies. Hundreds of
them clashed riot police outside the local Russian consulate.
While backing their demands, Ajapahian has deplored the violence. He
urged the Gyumri citizens to avoid further unrest last week as he held
a requiem service for 6-month-old Seryozha Avetisian, who died of his
stab wounds one week after his 2-year-old sister, parents, aunt and
grandparents were found dead in their home.
"I can't work as a perpetual lighting rod," the respected archbishop
said on Monday.
The Armenian and Russian authorities have scrambled since January 15
to reassure the locals that the gruesome crime will be fully solved.
They have pledged to coordinate their separate inquiries into the
killings and said that Permyakov will stand trial in Armenia. However,
a spokesman for Russian President Vladimir Putin indicated last week
that the 18-year-old will be tried in a Russian military court.
In Yerevan, meanwhile, Hunan Poghosian, a deputy chief of the Armenian
police, said on Monday that he personally visited the Russian base and
demanded Permyakov's extradition immediately after the latter was
caught by Russian border guards deployed on the nearby Turkish border.
"But that's not an issue that could have been solved on the basis of
demand," said Poghosian during a news conference. "As you all know,
the issue is on the legal plane and should be solved within the
framework of treaties between the two countries."
Phoghosian spoke of "unprecedented" cooperation between Armenian and
Russian officials investigating the crime.
The police general also confirmed reports that more than 100 Gyumri
residents have been summoned to local police stations and questioned
in connection with the January 15 violent protest. He said 27 of them
might face accusations of hooliganism or resistance to police. None of
them has been formally charged yet.
http://massispost.com/2015/01/archbishop-mikael-ajapahian-warns-of-fresh-anti-russian-protests-in-gyumri/