YEREVAN. – Armenia's Prosecutor General Gevorg Kostanyan ducked a question about whether there is a criminal case in connection with Valery Permyakov's attempt to illegally cross the state border of Armenia.

As reported earlier, Valery Permyakov, a Russian serviceman who stands accused of killing seven members of one family in Gyumri, was apprehended near Armenia-Turkey border by Russian border guards.

During the parliamentary hearings on Gyumri case, MP Edmon Marukyan raised the question about the reports on attempts of trespassing a state border. If there is an attempt to trespass the border, there must be a criminal case, the MP said and asked about the investigation.

In response, Kostanyan reminded about a treaty regulating the actions of Russian border guards who were informed about desertion and found Permyakov as a result of search operation.

“If we believe the border guards had to inform Armenia's National Security Service, and have not done this, we will study the case,” he promised.

As to a remark by MP Zaruhi Postanjyan that in fact no criminal case exists, Kostanyan once again assured that the matter is being investigated.

Despite deputies' attempts to clarify why the criminal case on an attempted trespassing the border had not been opened, no precise answer was given.