YEREVAN. – The Russian side had no right to not only conduct an investigation, but to keep Russian soldier Valery Permyakov, who is charged with the murder of the Avetisyan family in Gyumri, Armenia.

Helsinki Citizens’ Assembly Vanadzor Office Director and human rights activist Artur Sakunts, who is also representative of the legal successor of the victim of this murder, told the above-said at a press conference on Friday. He stated this while commenting on the recent decision to hand the respective murder case over to the Investigative Committee of Armenia.

But as per Sakunts, in actual fact, not Permyakov, but rather the documents of this murder case were given to the Armenian law enforcement.

“Our main demand was the handing of Permyakov over to the Armenian side,” he said. “[But] they give us papers instead of a man.”

In Sakunts’ view, the Armenian authorities’ demeanor was disregard toward the Avetisyan family, and the President’s interference with the criminal case is impermissible.

“There is the impression that there is no prosecutor in Armenia,” concluded the human rights activist.

A decision was made several days ago, according to which the Avetisyan family murder case and Russian soldier Valery Permyakov would be handed over to the Armenian law enforcement.

Six members of the Avetisyan family—including a two-year-old girl—were shot dead, and a six-month-old baby was wounded in their house in Gyumri on January 12; and the baby boy died in hospital on January 19. Valery Permyakov, a serviceman of the 102nd Russian Military Base in Gyumri, stands accused in this crime. Permyakov was apprehended by the Russian border guards, and near the Armenian-Turkish border.