Prosecutor general says the killer of six people will be prosecuted in Armenia

YEREVAN, January 14, /ARKA/ Armenia’s prosecutor general Gevorg Kostanyan said today he will travel tomorrow to Gyumri to tell its residents about the pace of investigation into the murder of a six-member family, adding that the guilty will be brought to justice in Armenia.

According to police, Valery Permyakov  from the Russian military base  in Gyumri admitted to murdering the six members of the family- a couple, their son and daughter-in-law, a 2-year-old granddaughter, and an unmarried daughter. They all were found shot dead in their house on January 12. 

The couple's six-month-old grandson was hospitalized in a grave condition. The victims were all shot with an AK-47.  Valery Permyakov was detained on January 13, shortly after midnight, while trying to cross the border into Turkey dressed in civilian clothing.

"Tomorrow at 10 am  I'll be in Gyumri and will present to its residents the whole procedure. Our goal  is  to bring the perpetrator to justice",  Kostanyan told reporters.

"I am sure that the criminal will be prosecuted in the territory of the Republic of Armenia, and we will all be able to follow the process,» he added.

In comments of statements that Armenia  has conceded the investigation of the crime to the Russian side , Kostanyan said  that "Armenia does not concede anything to anyone."

"Tomorrow you will see the active actions of the Armenian law enforcement agencies that will demonstrate the determination of the Republic of Armenia to prosecute any person who has committed an assault against a citizen of Armenia", he said. 

Armenia's Office of the Prosecutor-General announced yesterday that Permyakov will not be handed over to Armenian law-enforcement authorities pending investigation. In a statement, it said that Russia's constitution prohibits the extradition of Russian citizens to foreign states. The statement also said that Russian and Armenian law-enforcement bodies are making a joint probe of the killings.

A spokeswoman for Armenia’s State Investigative Committee (SIC) Sona Truzyan said today that SIC has decided to prosecute Permyakov for the killing of more than two people.-0-