Russian Soldier to Be Tried at Russian Military Court in Gyumri

GYUMRI, Armenia (Interfax-Ukraine)—Russia and Armenia have agreed that Russian serviceman Valery Permyakov, who has been accused of murdering a family of seven in Armenia’s northwestern city of Gyumri, will go on trial in Armenia on the premises of Russia’s military base there, Interfax reported on Tuesday, citing anonymous sources.

“The parties reached a final agreement that the trial in this high-profile case will proceed in Gyumri, at Garrison Military Court No. 102 of the Russian military base,” one of the sources said, indicating that Permyakov will be tried by a Russian military court.

The decision was adopted in accordance with the bilateral agreement regulating the presence of Russia’s military base in northern Armenia, he said.

Another anonymous source told Interfax that Russia and Armenia had also agreed to cooperate during a preliminary investigation.

“Since the crime of the Avetisyan family’s murder is being investigated simultaneously by the Russian and Armenian sides, they are considering the possibility of adopting a joint, consolidated indictment based on Russian penal laws,” he said.

Permyakov also faces charges of going absent without leave (AWOL) in possession of firearms, he said.

“The Russian side will be informed of all circumstances established by Armenian investigators and will add them to the case files,” the source said.

Meanwhile, Armenia’s Prosecutor General Gevorg Kostanyan applied to his Russian counterpart Tuesday with an appeal to extradite Permyakov to Armenia.

Kostanyan applied to the Russian Prosecutor General Yury Chayka, citing a 1997 treaty regulating the presence of the Russian military base in Armenia. Kostanyan gave no other details about the letter.