Legal successors of Avetisyans' family apply to ECHR against Russia

The legal successors of the Avetisyans' family have applied to the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) against Russia.   

The Helsinki Citizens' Assembly Vanadzor Office (HCAV) has told ArmInfo that the claim has been filed by deceased Araksia Poghosyan's legal successors Andranik Poghosyan and Narine Poghosyan with the support of the HCAV over violation of the rights stipulated in Articles 2 and 13 of the European Convention on Human Rights (right to life; right to an effective remedy).    

In particular, the state failed to carry out its obligation related to prevention of an obvious threat against Araksia Poghosyan and her family, though it knew that Valery Permyakov was not effective for military service and, moreover, he had no right to keep weapons. In addition, the Russian side failed to inform the Armenian law enforcers in due time that Permyakov had left the military unit, which could have prevented the tragic incident. As regards the violation under Article 13 of the Convention, there are no national mechanisms to restore the rights of the legal successors. The legal successors were able to familiarize themselves with the investigation files only three months after the final decision was taken, when the Investigative Committee of Russia completed all procedures over the case of the murder of the Avetisyans' family and Permyakov was sentenced to 10 years in jail.      
To recall, on August 12, 2016, Russian contract serviceman Valery Permyakov was sentenced to 10 years of imprisonment at a high security facility for deserting and illegally bearing weapons. A family of six was killed by Valery Permyakov in Gyumri, Armenia, on Jan 12, 2015. The only survivor, six- month-old Seryozha Avetisyan, who received stab wounds, died in hospital on Jan 19.  Permyakov voluntarily left his post and committed the above murder.