Hand Over the Russian Soldier Accused of Killing a Woman from Gyumri to the Armenian Side: Narine Mkrtchyan

The Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Russian Federation to Armenia, Mr. Sergey Kopirkin, was informed of our deep indignation and concern regarding the situation prevailing in the military base.

This was stated in a statement released by the President of the National Press Club, Narine Mkrtchyan.

We present it below:

“We, the undersigned, record that the sovereignty and security of Armenia are becoming vulnerable due to the unacceptable behavior of the servicemen stationed at the 102nd military base of the RF in Armenia and the non-statutory relationships prevailing there.

We express our deep indignation and concern to the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the RF to Armenia, Mr. Sergey Kopirkin, regarding the situation prevailing in the military base. Due to the uncontrollable criminal behavior of its servicemen, the Russian military base has turned from a guarantor of Armenia's security into a threat to the peaceful life of local residents and a factor of terror.

1. On January 12, 2015, a serviceman of the RF 102nd military base, Valery Permyakov, brutally murdered seven members of the Avetisyan family living in Gyumri. The horrific nature of the crime and the twists of the investigation led to a strong protest from Armenian civil society, which resulted in an attempt to conduct a partially transparent and multi-sided investigation, preventing the 102nd military base's leadership from covering up the crime and limiting necessary information.

Thus far, Armenian society, particularly the residents of Gyumri, has not received guarantees that would ensure the prevention of such terrible incidents in the future.

2. Due to the criminal inaction and self-assertion of the leadership of the RF military base, no relevant measures were taken to develop the code of conduct for servicemen and to improve the internal moral and psychological atmosphere, resulting in the continuation of periodic actions that contribute to the intensification of fear and anxiety among the peaceful population in the Shirak region. The culmination of this situation occurred on December 3 of this year, when a Russian soldier brutally beat a 57-year-old woman, a citizen of the Republic of Armenia, who was working within the municipal and environmental protection department of the local mayor’s office in the Slabotka neighborhood of Gyumri. Assaulted while fulfilling her work duties, the Russian serviceman killed the Armenian woman.

1. We demand maximum transparency and public oversight throughout the investigation process to exclude any corrupt actions by the base's leadership. It is essential to establish legal contractual relationships and new internal regulations for the military base that would practically guarantee the complete elimination of unprovoked criminal incidents against Armenia's peaceful civilian population. We demand that you personally inform the high-ranking leadership of the Russian Federation about the existing circumstances and take necessary, practical steps to fundamentally change the situation.

2. We demand that Russian servicemen respect and comply with the laws of the Republic of Armenia throughout the entire territory of Armenia.

3. We demand the handover to the Armenian side of the Russian serviceman who committed the murder.

In light of the above, we emphasize that if these demands are not met, we will record that the continued existence of the RF military base in the territory of the RA not only becomes dangerous and questionable but also contradicts our national interests and prospects. We will persist in our demands.”

Narine Mkrtchyan also announced that tomorrow, on December 25, at noon, there will be a protest in front of the Russian Embassy in Armenia organized by a number of social-political figures and parties against the situation prevailing at the Russian 102nd military base in Gyumri, the non-statutory relations, and the threatening behavior of Russian servicemen towards the citizens of the Republic of Armenia.

During the protest, a petition will be presented to the Russian ambassador, and a message directed to the Armenian authorities will also be presented.