Trial against Valery Permyakov to Be Held by Russian Military Court, According to Russian Judge

Russia’s North-Caucasian Regional Military Court (main office in Rostov) will soon hold trials of a number of controversial cases, including the case of Valery Permyakov, Russian soldier accused of murdering the Avetisyan family on January 12 in Gyurmi. As reported by Russian TASS news agency yesterday, February 27, the latter statement was made by the Military Court’s presiding Judge Mikhail Ptitsin (pictured).

Permyakov is currently at the Gyumri’s 102nd Russian military base, where a psychological and psychiatric examination is taking place.

The North-Caucasian Regional Military Court has judicial authority over Russia’s 15 units in Russia's Southern, North-Caucasian and Crimean regions, as well as the Russian armed forces military bases and other entities in Armenia, Abkhazia, and South Ossetia.

The Russian 102-nd military base soldier Valery Permyakov is charged by Armenia’s Investigative Committee for murdering 7 members of the Avetisyan family in Gyumri. A criminal case has been initiated in accordance with Article 104.2.1 (murder of two or more people) of the RA Criminal code.  According to official sources, the soldier has admitted his guilt. Nevertheless, the Russian side has not transferred Permyakov to the Armenian law enforcement. Permyakov has also been charged with Article 105.2 and 338.2 of the Russian Criminal code for murder and desertion.

According to the official information, Permyakov was arrested on January 13 by Russian border guards near the Armenian-Turkish border and was handed to the Russian military base leadership, which resulted in a wave of major dissatisfaction in Gyumri. On January 15 thousands of people protested in Gyumri demanding that the Russian soldier be transferred to Armenian law enforcement.