GYUMRI. – The court hearings of the case into the murder of Avetisyan family of Gyumri, in Armenia’s Shirak Province, will be held on Fridays. 

The judge presiding over Monday’s second hearing of this case made the respective decision. 

The next court session is scheduled for Friday.

Representative of the victims’ legal successors, Lusine Sahakyan, informed that she plans to submit a motion before the start of the next trial. But she chose to remain silent about the content of this motion.

At Monday’s second hearing, which again was convened in the small hall of the 102nd Russian Military Base in the city, the court rejected the motion to transfer the murder case to the Shirak provincial court.

In addition, the court rejected the motion by Artur Sakunts, another representative of the victims’ legal successors, regarding the retraction of the judge presiding over this case.

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, 2015; 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.

The respective trial began on December 18 of the year past. The court hearings, however, are taking place in the aforesaid Russian military base.