Gyumri massacre
| 2015 Gyumri massacre | |
|---|---|
 Location of Shirak Province in Armenia | |
| Location | Gyumri, Shirak Province, Armenia |
| Date | January 12, 2015 6:10 - 6:30 |
Attack type | Mass murder, mass shooting |
| Weapons | AK-47, knife bayonet |
| Deaths | 7 |
The 2015 Gyumri massacre was a mass murder of seven members of an Armenian family in Gyumri, Armenia, on January 12, 2015. The suspect, Valery Permyakov, a Russian serviceman from the Russian 102nd Military Base, was apprehended by the Armenia-based Russian Border Guards near the border with Turkey and brought into custody at the Gyumri base for further investigation under the Russian jurisdiction. Spontaneous rallies in Yerevan and Gyumri ensued, demanding that Permyakov be tried and serve his sentence in Armenia.
Murder
On January 12, 2015 six people were found dead in Gyumri, Armenia. The Armenian Investigative Committee named Valery Permyakov, a Russian servicemen stationed at the Russian 102nd Military Base in Gyumri, as a suspect.[1] Permyakov reportedly deserted the base.[2] He left a gun and his military uniform at the scene of the crime.[3]
The six victims were identified on the same day.[4] They include a couple, their son and daughter-in-law, a 2-year-old granddaughter, and an unmarried daughter.[5] The victims were
- Seryozha Avetisyan (father)
- Hasmik Avetisyan (mother)
- Armen Avetisyan (their son)
- Araks Avetisyan (their daughter-in-law; Armen's wife)
- Aida Avetisyan (Seryozha and Hasmik's daughter)
- Hasmik Avetisyan (Araks and Armen's 2-year-old daughter).[6]
- Seryozha Avetisyan (Araks and Armen's 6-month old infant) survived the attack and was taken to a local hospital in critical condition.[2] The infant died on January 19.[7]
Police began a manhunt and called on citizens to inform about the possible whereabouts of the suspect.[1] Permyakov was detained some 16 km away from Gyumri, near the village of Bayandur, near the Turkish border by Russian border guards.[8][9][10] He confessed to the crime. He claimed he entered the family's home because he wanted something to drink.[11] The office of Armenia's Prosecutor-General stated that the case was under the jurisdiction of Russian authorities. Permyakov was initially held at the base. The legality of this action was widely questioned and caused controversy in Armenia.[12]
Protests and official response
On January 13, 2015, protest took place at the Russian embassy in Yerevan. Protesters demanded the removal of the Russian military base from the territory of Armenia and the expulsion of the Russian ambassador.[14] Residents of Gyumri also held a spontaneous rally in the city’s central square, calling attention to the massacre. On January 13 a rally was held in Gyumri by hundreds of citizens demanding the case be handled by Armenian law-enforcement agencies.[15]
On January 14 a car rally was held in Gyumri demanding the transfer of Permyakov to the Armenian law enforcement agencies.[16] Around two thousand people marched to the territory of Russian military base with the same demand, but the police blocked a road leading to the facility.[17][18]
On January 15 the funeral of the Avetisyan family took place in Gyumri. Thousands of people from Gyumri, Yerevan and other Armenian cities came to bid farewell to the victims of the massacre. Mass protests took place both in Yerevan and Gyumri all day long. Police and protesters clashed near the Russian consulate in Gyumri.[19][20] At least 14 people were injured during the clashes in Gyumri.[21] A number of activists were detained during the protest near the Russian embassy in Yerevan, among them director Tigran Khzmalyan. Dozens of protesters tried to burn the Russian flag.[22] At least 38 people were detained from Yerevan's Freedom Square. They were freed the next day.[23]
Armenia's Prosecutor-General Gevorg Kostanyan promised to make an official request to Russian authorities to transfer Permyakov to the Armenian law enforcement agencies.[24]
Media coverage
Although media in Armenia covered the case extensively, the state run TV in Armenia "avoid[ed] information about the investigation and the protest campaign."[25]
Russian media has been largely silent about the massacre, with none of the three major Russian-wide channels, Russia-1, First Channel, and NTV, providing any coverage within the first day. On the second day, NTV reported only that a soldier fled the Russian military base in Gyumri and had been found, leaving out any mention of the murders.[26] Another major TV station Russia-24, likewise reported a day late, and had emphasized that Permyakov was "excellent" in his military service.[26]
Impact
According to Armen Grigoryan, the "anti-Russian sentiments [in Armenia] can be expected to grow" unless Russia transfers the case's jurisdiction to Armenia.[25]
Reactions
Armenia: The office of President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan released a statement on January 12 saying "Currently, all necessary steps are being taken to find the perpetrator of this barbarian act, and these steps are under the direct control of the president." On the same day the president held a consultation with the heads of law enforcement agencies.[27]
- The parliamentary party Heritage demanded the severe punishment of the perpetrator(s) of the massacre.[28]
- The massacre caused a wave of anti-Russian sentiment among some Armenian, especially in Gyumri.[29]
- "In part, mass frustration and disappointment has grown because the Armenian president and prime minister have not made any public statements to address the case."[25]
Russia: The Russian embassy in Yerevan expressing condolences in a statement, saying Armenia and Russia are working together on the case.[30] The Foreign Ministry also extend condolences to the relatives of the deceased and affirmed that the ministry provide all the necessary assistance.[31]
- A commission led by Arkady Bakhin, the first deputy Minister of Defense of Russia, will be joining the investigation. The commission stated that "all those guilty will be brought to justice."[5]
- In response to protests in Gyumri and Yerevan, Russian Ambassador in Armenia Ivan Volynkin stated "this problem must not be politicized. Crime has no nationality, especially in this case. We must not make politics of this."[32]
- On January 18, almost a week after the massacre, Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed his condolences in a call with President Serzh Sargsyan. He also stated that he is confident that "the investigation will be completed as soon as possible and the perpetrator will be punished".[33][34]
United Kingdom: The UK embassy in Yerevan expressed its condolences on the murder.[35]
United States: The staff of the US embassy in Yerevan expressed its condolences on the murder of the Avetisyan family.[36]
Georgia: The Georgian embassy in Yerevan expressed "its deepest sorrow on the tragedy in Gyumri".[37]
France: French Ambassador in Armenia Jean-François Charpentier extended condolences. He stated that he was deeply shocked by the killing of innocent people, and expressed the hope that the person who committed this crime will be subject to an equitable accountability and a fair sentence.[38]
References
- ^ a b "Russian Soldier Suspected of Killing 6 Members of Gyumri Family". Hetq Online. 12 January 2015.
- ^ a b "Manhunt Continues for Russian Deserter Suspected of Killing Family in Gyumri". Asbarez. 12 January 2015.
- ^ "Deputypolice chief provided details on investigation into crime in Gyumri". Armenpress. 12 January 2015.
- ^ "All victims of brutal assassination in Armenia's Gyumri identified". Armenpress. 12 January 2015.
- ^ a b "Russian Soldier Suspected Of Killing Family In Armenia". Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. 12 January 2015.
- ^ "Whole Gyumri mourns with Avetisyans' relatives". Armenpress. 14 January 2015.
- ^ "6-month-old Seryozha Avetisyan dies". news.am. 19 January 2015.
- ^ "Russian troops in Armenia detain soldier suspected of killing 6 people". ITAR-TASS. 13 January 2015.
- ^ "Suspect in Gyumri Killings Detained at Turkish Border". Asbarez. 12 January 2015.
- ^ "Gyumri Murder Suspect Apprehended at Armenia-Turkey Border". CivilNet. 13 January 2015.
- ^ "Russian Soldier Confesses to Massacring Entire Armenian Family". The Moscow Times. 13 January 2015.
- ^ Nikoghosyan, Alina (14 January 2015). "Jurisdiction Matters: Questions asked over status of Russian soldier held over Gyumri family massacre". ArmeniaNow.
- ^ "Բախումներ ու պայթյուններ Գյումրիի ռուսական հյուպատոսարանի մոտ". YouTube (in Armenian). iravabannet. 15 January 2015.
- ^ "Armenians demand Russian forces leave their territory". vestnikkavkaza.net. 13 January 2015.
- ^ "Gyumri Protests: Citizens demand justice in family murder case". ArmeniaNow. 14 January 2015.
- ^ "Gyumri car rally kicks off (PHOTOS)". news.am. 14 January 2015.
- ^ "Citizens of Gyumri gathered near Russian militarybase, will wait one dayfor prosecutor's response". Armenpress. 14 January 2015.
- ^ Soghoyan, Yeranuhi (14 January 2015). "Gyumri Residents Demonstrate Outside Russian Army Base". Hetq Online.
- ^ "Protesters clash with police outside Russian General Consulate in Armenia's Gyumri". ITAR-TASS. 15 January 2015.
- ^ "Gyumri Protesters Clash with Police at Russian Consulate". Asbarez. 15 January 2015.
- ^ "14 injured in Gyumri melee as protesters demand Russian murder suspect's handover". ArmeniaNow. 15 January 2015.
- ^ "Protesters Try To Burn Russian Flag As Armenians Mourn Family". Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. 15 January 2015.
- ^ "59 citizens detained byPolice in Yerevan and Gyumri set free". Armenpress. 16 January 2015.
- ^ "Armenian Prosecutor Vows To Ask Russia For Massacre Suspect". Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. 15 January 2015.
- ^ a b c Grigoryan, Armen (16 January 2015). "Murder of Armenian Family by Russian Soldier Severely Strains Moscow-Yerevan Relations". Eurasia Daily Monitor. Washington, DC: The Jamestown Foundation.
- ^ a b "How Russian TV Channels Covered Up Gyumri Massacre". Media.am. 14 January 2015. Retrieved 16 January 2015.
- ^ "President Sargsyan holds consultations on family massacre in Gyumri". ArmeniaNow. 12 January 2015.
- ^ "«Ժառանգությունը» հայտարարում է՝ Գյումրիում կատարված ոճրագործության մեղավորները պետք է խստագույնս պատժվեն". heritage.am (in Armenian). 13 January 2015.
- ^ Nikoghosyan, Alina (13 January 2015). "Shock and Questions: Gyumri mourns murders as it looks for reasons". ArmeniaNow.
- ^ "Armed Russian serviceman suspected of mass murder in Armenia". RT. 12 January 2015.
- ^ "Russian Foreign Ministry issues comments on Gyumri murder". Tert.am. 12 January 2015.
- ^ Martirosyan, Nana (15 January 2015). "Ambassador of Russia to Armenia: Gyumri tragedy must not be politicized". arminfo.am.
- ^ "Putin calls Armenian president to express condolences over Gyumri tragedy". RT. 18 January 2015.
- ^ "Putin says he is confident Gyumri tragedy will be investigated promptrly". ITAR-TASS. 18 January 2015.
- ^ "British embassy in Armenia expresses condolences on Avetisyan family murder". tert.am. 15 January 2015.
- ^ "US Embassy staff sends their condolences to the Avetisyan family". news.am. 15 January 2015.
- ^ "Georgian Embassy Expresses 'Deepest Sorrow' Over Gyumri Killings". Hetq Online. 16 January 2015.
- ^ "France Ambassador to Armenia: I am deeply shocked by murder of innocent people". news.am. 16 January 2015.