The high-profile trial by an Armenian court of a Russian serviceman charged with murdering a seven-member Armenian family in Gyumri opened today in the territory of a Russian military base in Armenia’s northwestern city. It began in a scandal as lawyers representing the relatives of the victims were not initially allowed into the territory of the Russian military base. Only half an hour after the start of the trial they were let in. Additional chairs and tables had to be brought into the chamber for the legal representatives of the victims’ legal successors.
As the trial kicked off, representatives of the victims’ legal successors complained about the level of audibility in the chamber. They said that they wanted to hear clearly not only the Armenian translation of Permyakov’s words, but also the words actually said by Permyakov in Russian. Permyakov was asked by the court to speak loudly.
The parties to the trial have been discussing whether there were grounds for challenging the judge presiding over the trial.
The lawyers agreed to refrain from challenging the judge yet.