On January 22 the RA NA Standing Committee on State and Legal Affairs organized parliamentary hearings on “Legal Processes Concerning the Tragic Events Occurred in Gyumri on January 12, 2015”.

To answer the NA MPs’ questions, the RA Prosecutor General Gevorg Kostanyan was invited to the parliament. In his word he stated that the tragedy, which shook all the Armenians, couldn’t have kept us away from emotional manifestations. However, despite all this, he is not able to carry out his official duties leaning on emotions. In the Prosecutor General’s word, he is obliged to organize actions according to the RA legislation and all the principles of international law. In Gevorg Kostanyan’s word, the issue has given rise to political and social speculations, but should be solved through legal procedure.   

Answering the deputies' questions, Mr. Kostanyan has mentioned that all the issues, which refer to leaving the military unit by Valery Permyakov, the victims’ home invasion, the place and time of the crime, as well as finding the suspect, are under the investigation, and the answers will be attached to the criminal case. The Prosecutor General has stated that a number of measures were taken by law-enforcement bodies connected with searching out the criminal, but these questions are under the investigation and need to be verified, therefore are not subject to publication.    

In the Prosecutor General’s word, the issue of the character of the prior relations between the victim family and the Russian soldier or their existence in general is under the investigation. In order to provide an objective investigation for the crime disclosure, the RA Prosecutor General has repeatedly applied to the RF Prosecutor General, as well as several petitions have been filed by the RA Prosecutor General’s Office and the RA Investigative Committee. He has noted that the whole legal system cooperates within the limits of their powers.   

Gevorg Kostanyan has mentioned that he can’t publicize the confidential information of the investigation and voice the planning and process of the investigative actions, as it will damage the objective process of the investigation.