Today marks the 26th anniversary of the October 27, 1999 tragedy in the National Assembly (NA) of Armenia. As a result of this crime that took place 26 years ago, NA Speaker Karen Demirchyan, Prime Minister Vazgen Sargsyan, Deputy Speakers Yuri Bakhshyan and Ruben Miroyan, MPs Armenak Armenakyan, Henrik Abrahamyan, Mikael Kotanyan, and Minister for Operational Issues—who in effect performed the duties of Deputy Prime Minister—Leonard Petrosyan were killed.

The armed men were Nairi Hunanyan, Karen Hunanyan, Eduard Grigoryan, Vram Galstyan, and Derenik Bejanyan. The leader of these actions that took place on October 27, 1999 was Nairi Hunanyan. Later, Hunanyan testified that he had planned terrorist acts at the state level back in 1991, but due to circumstances, was unable to carry them out.

The court verdict in the “October 27” case was announced on December 2, 2003. Accordingly, six people were sentenced to life imprisonment and one person to 14 years in prison. The six sentenced to life imprisonment—Nairi Hunanyan, his brother Karen Hunanyan, their uncle Vram Galstyan, Derenik Bejanyan, Edik Grigoryan, and Ashot Knyazyan—were all given life terms. Hamlet Stepanyan was sentenced to 14 years in prison.

Among those serving life sentences, Nairi and Karen Hunanyan, Derenik Bejanyan, and Ashot Knyazyan are still alive. According to the official version, Vram Galstyan committed suicide in solitary confinement at Nubarashen Penitentiary on April 27, 2004.

Hamlet Stepanyan, who had been sentenced to 14 years, died of a heart attack in May 2010. Another defendant, Norayr Yeghiazaryan, died before the verdict was announced after being electrocuted in his cell at Nubarashen Penitentiary. Eduard Grigoryan died on November 3, 2017, at a Yerevan hospital. The defendants were found guilty under Articles 300 (Usurpation of state power), 305 (Murder of a state, political, or public figure), 34-305 (Attempted usurpation of power), 217 (Terrorism), 133 (Unlawful deprivation of liberty), and 235 (Illegal acquisition, possession, and carrying of weapons) of the Criminal Code of Armenia.