Artur Sakunts, a leading Armenian human rights activist who represents the legal successor of the victims at the trial, made a petition for all people in [Russian] military uniform to be removed from the chamber. The judge said that the Russian military were also ensuring the security of the person being tried [Valery Permyakov]. The judge announced a break in the proceedings.
Legal successors (relatives) of the Avetisyan family and their representatives introduced themselves to the court. Russian citizen Valery Permyakov, a conscript who served at the Russian military base in Gyumri, is charged with murdering all seven members of the family on January 12. Among the killed were also a two-year-old girl and a six-month-old boy.
The lawyers agreed to refrain from challenging the judge yet.
The parties to the trial have been discussing whether there were grounds for challenging the judge presiding over the trial.