GYUMRI. – The people took steps so that the tragedy in Gyumri was not left without a possessor. Armenia’s opposition Heritage Party National Assembly Faction Head Ruben Hakobyan, who was attending Wednesday’s funeral service at Surb Nshan (Holy Sign) Church in Gyumri city and for little Seryozha Avetisyan, told the aforementioned to Armenian News-NEWS.am.

“The people really were able to carry out steps, and we will see in the near future [as to] how the authorities will formulate this demand by the people.

“It’s truly a nationwide mourning; basically, the [Armenian] nation mourned this [tragedy].

“[But] it’s another issue that those who should have declared mourning, did not declare a nationwide mourning; this tragedy was not taken under the state’s care. [And] if there are some [state-level] reactions today, it’s because the people showed that they are flaring up, that it is a nationwide mourning,” Heritage’s MP specifically said.

As reported earlier, six members of the Avetisyan family—including a two-year-old girl—were shot dead, and a six-month-old baby—Seryozha Avetisyan—was wounded in their house in Gyumri on January 12; but 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.