Gyumri Investigation: Armenian police official says Permyakov may have
had accomplices
NEWS | 27.01.15 | 09:22
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Valery Permyakov, a Russian soldier charged with brutally murdering a
seven-member family in Armenia’s city of Gyumri, may have had
accomplices helping him, according to Deputy Chief of the Armenian
Police Hunan Poghosyan.
“All possible theories that emerged during the preliminary
investigation are being checked,” Poghosyan said, as quoted by A1
Plus.
A joint group of Armenian and Russian investigators is conducting the
probe. Permyakov, 19, is currently under arrest at the Russian
military base in Gyumri. He is said to have admitted to the murder
charges brought against him by the Armenian side. The Russian side has
also charged Permyakov with desertion.
At a press conference, the deputy chief of the Armenian police said
that he was convinced that the Russians are sincerely interested in
helping the Armenian side disclose the crime.
Many in Armenia believe that Permyakov should be held in Armenian
custody and that his trial should be held by Armenian laws. Russia,
however, appears to insist that its citizen is tried by Russian laws.
On January 15, the day when six members of the murdered family were
laid to rest in Gyumri, thousands of angry residents of the
northwestern city took to the streets to demand Permyakov’s handover
to Armenian authorities. Armenia’s prosecutor-general then promised to
write a letter to his Russian counterpart with that request.