YEREVAN. – The non-pro-government Prosperous Armenia Party (PAP) has put off its conference slated for Monday.

Iveta Tonoyan, the spokesperson of PAP Chairman Gagik Tsarukyan, has issued a respective statement. 

“The conference of the non-governmental political and social forces was scheduled for today, [Tuesday,] January 20. Yesterday, however, our society was rocked by the sad news; the life little Seryozha Avetisyan could not be saved. The unspeakable pain and sorrow is in the hearts of us all.    

“On late night yesterday, the conference organizing committee reached a decision to postpone the activities of the conference. Instead, at the same time—12pm—the invitees may attend, at their desire, the candlelight vigil at the Surb Hovhannes (St. Johns) Church in Abovyan [city].  

“At the same time, the organizing committee, coordinating with Gagik Tsarukyan, the person behind the initiative, assures that the conference definitely will take place in the coming days,” Tonoyan’s statement reads, in particular.

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 Monday.

Valery Permyakov, a serviceman of the 102nd Russian Military Base in the city, stands accused in this crime. Permyakov was apprehended by the Russian border guards near the Armenian-Turkish border on the same night, he was arrested on January 14, and he is held in custody at the Russian military base.

The soldier is charged under Russian law, with “the murder of more than two people” and “desertion with a service weapon.” The Investigative Committee of Armenia also has launched a criminal case on these murders.

The Prosecutor General’s Office of Armenia had stated that Valery Permyakov will face justice under Russian law, and this information had provoked a wave of protests in Armenia, especially in Gyumri and capital city Yerevan.