Permyakov Illegally Kept in Russian Military Base, Concludes MP

Today, during Parliamentary hearings about the Gyumri murders the General Prosecutor Gevorg Kostanyan answered questions from MPs, however a group of MPs demanded that NSS director Gorik Hakobyan, Minister of Foreign Affairs Eduard Nalbandyan, and Police Chief Vladimir Gasparyan also be invited.

Heritage Party faction MPs Zaruhi Postanjyan and Alexander Arzumanyan noted that if the suspect of the murder of the 7 members of the Avetisyan family Valery Permyakov attempted to cross the Armenian-Turkish border than a criminal case would have to be initiated, while the NSS head has to present an explanation about the attempted crossing of the border.

Arzumanyan underlined that the Police Chief Vladimir Gasparyan is responsible to give an explanation, as to why the police did not stop the car driving Permyakov to the 102-nd Russian military base instead of handing him over to Armenian authorities. According to him, the police displayed indolence.

The MPs noted that Gyumri murder case also violates an agreement between Armenia and Russia, therefore, according to them, Eduard Nalbandyan’s presence at the National Assembly is mandatory.

The MPs inquired whether Gevorg Kostanyan, who was present, had actually sent his appeal to the Russian General Prosecutor with the demand of transferring Permyakov to Armenian authorities. The General Prosecutor noted that he will definitely send his Russian colleague the letter, not because of what he said in Gyumri, but because it is his responsibility. Kostanyan added that appealing is not an end in itself, and they should wait for the conclusion of the investigative process.

Nikol Pashinyan asked the Prosecutor whether the Russian border guards had to inform Armenian law enforcement about an attempt of someone crossing the border and if they had to hand the person over, to which Kostanyan answered positively. Pashinyan also asked if in the case of Permyakov, the Russian border guards informed Armenian law enforcement about the attempt of crossing the border, the General Prosecutor did not answer, claiming that it was material related to the criminal case.

To that justification, Kostanyan refused to answer a majority of questions by MPs.

After the hearings, Pashinyan wrote on his personal Facebook page that Kostanyan answered two important questions about the violation. “In other words, Permyakov's stay at the Russian military base is illegal, and he has to be transferred to the Armenian side,” wrote Pashinyan.