YEREVAN. (News.am)—Armenia’s Prosecutor General Gevorg Kostanyan on Thursday avoided answering questions about whether there is a criminal case in connection with Valery Permyakov’s attempt to illegally cross the state border of Armenia into Turkey.
Permyakov, a Russian military serviceman who stands accused of killing seven members of one family in Gyumri, was apprehended near the Armenia-Turkey border by Russian border guards.
During a parliamentary hearing on the case, Member of Parliament Edmon Marukian asked about reports on Permyakov attempting to cross the border into Turkey. “If there is an attempt to trespass the border, there must be a criminal case,” the lawmaker said.
In response, Kostanyan reminded about a treaty regulating the actions of Russian border guards who were informed about desertion and found Permyakov as a result of a search operation.
“If we believe the border guards had to inform Armenia’s National Security Service, and have not done this, we will study the case,” he promised.
As to a claim by Member of Parliament Zaruhi Postanjian that, in fact, no criminal case exists, Kostanyan once again assured that the matter is being investigated.
Despite attempts by lawmakers to clarify why a criminal case on an attempted trespassing of the border had not been opened, no precise answer was given.
Following the parliamentary hearings, Member of Parliament Nikol Pashinian wrote on his Facebook page that, in his view, Permyakov is staying at the Russian military base near Gyumri illegally and should be transferred to Armenian law enforcement authorities.
MP Marukian is asking the wrong person. It is too direct and logical of a question for Mr. Kostanyan to answer. Since Mother Russia has decided to politicize the issue, it’s best to ask them whether any phase of this crime falls under Armenian jurisdiction?
The saddest irony here is that those who have for years been attacking Armenia’s law enforcement and judiciary system are the same ones that all of a sudden want Russians to hand over the suspected murder to Armenian officials. Does take a genius to realize that Armenia’s Western led political opposition’s main task is to drive a wedge between Yerevan and Moscow. Whether they realize it or not, Armenia’s Russophobes serve a Turkish/Azeri agenda inside Armenia.