Court hearing of the case into the murder of Avetisyan family of Gyumri, Armenia, continued Friday, at the 102nd Russian Military Base in the city.

Lusine Sahakyan, one of the attorneys of the legal successors of the murder victims, submitted a motion for the withdrawal of the presiding judge.

Sahakyan stated that this judge cannot conduct an objective examination and his constraint apparent. 

The attorney added that holding this trial in the military base is unacceptable, and the presiding judge’s demeanor confirms that this trial is being controlled.

Attorney Mihran Poghosyan also joined the aforesaid motion by his colleague. 

Subsequently, the other attorneys of the victims’ legal successors also supported this motion.

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 Gyumri, 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.

Valery Permyakov has pleaded guilty to all charges—brutal murder, robbery, and attempt to cross the Armenian state border—that are brought against him.