Even if Vruyr Barseghyan's insanity is proven, he will not be exempt from punishment, says representative of the victim in the Pemzasheni case

During the investigation into the horrific murders of 31-year-old Zarine Meliksetyan and her 12-year-old daughter and 8-year-old son from the village of Pemzashen in Shirak province, the victim's side has not identified any shortcomings thus far. Garik Galikyan, the representative and lawyer for Zarine’s husband, stated this in an interview with NEWS.am.

“With our eyes wide open, we will monitor for any shortcomings, and if we see any, we will raise our voices, but at this moment, there is no dissatisfaction. Several expert examinations have been appointed, after which much will become clear. At that point, it will be possible to submit motions. Many circumstances of the case, unlike the defense side, are not available to us in their entirety, so at this stage I must refrain from making assessments,” said Galikyan.

One of the appointed examinations is a forensic psychiatric evaluation concerning the defendant Vruyr Barseghyan. However, Galikyan emphasizes that even if the conclusion proves Vruyr Barseghyan's insanity, he will not be released from liability. “In such cases, compulsory treatment is appointed, and the person is isolated; for example, he might spend 20 years undergoing this compulsory treatment. The designation of an expert examination to establish a person's insanity does not automatically indicate that the individual is not guilty. In similar cases, examinations are usually always appointed. It still needs to be proven that Vruyr Barseghyan was insane at the time of committing the act,” said the lawyer.

Recall that on November 9, the bodies of 31-year-old Zarine Meliksetyan and her 12-year-old daughter and 8-year-old son were found in their home in Pemzashen village. Vruyr Barseghyan, a 32-year-old resident of Shirak province, and his relative, 41-year-old Arkadi Barseghyan, were arrested and subsequently detained on suspicion of the brutal murders. Vruyr Barseghyan has admitted to the charges against him, providing a self-incriminating statement, while Arkadi Barseghyan, on the contrary, denies the charges and claims he was not at the crime scene. Both defendants are married and have children. The murdered woman’s husband was in Russia for work and returned after the tragic incident.

According to the investigative committee's hypothesis, the motive for the inhumane murders was theft. Vruyr Barseghyan has been charged under Article 155, part 2, points 6, 8, and 13; Article 155, part 2, points 3, 5, 6, and 13 (two episodes); Article 252, part 3, point 2; and Article 198, part 4 of the RA Criminal Code. Arkadi Barseghyan has been charged under Article 155, part 2, points 8 and 13, and Article 252, part 3, point 2.