GYUMRI. – The court suspended for one month the trial into the murder of seven members of the Avetisyan family in Gyumri city, in the Shirak Province of Armenia (PHOTOS).

Eduard Aghajanyan, the new second public defender of the defendant, Russian soldier Valery Permyakov who is charged with the brutal murder of the Avetisyan family, motioned the court to adjourn the trial for one month so that he may get familiarized with the case materials, informed the Armenian News-NEWS.am reporter.

The parties did not object to this motion.

Although public defender Armen Poghosyan defends Permyakov at court, his respective duties will come to an end on January 1, 2016.

The trial had gotten underway on Friday in Gyumri.

Even though the case is examined by the Court of General Jurisdiction of Shirak Province, the court hearing is held at the 102nd Russian Military Base in the city.

The next court hearing was scheduled for January 18.

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 one week later.

Valery Permyakov, a serviceman of the 102nd Russian Military Base in the city, is charged with these murders.

Armenia and Russia instituted criminal cases on charges of murder and military desertion, respectively.

On August 12, the Russian court sentenced Permyakov to ten years in prison.

And on October 16, Armenia formally brought criminal charges against the Russian soldier.