MOSCOW, July 1 (RAPSI) - A criminal case against Russian soldier Valery Permyakov who stands accused of killing seven members of a family in Armenia's city of Gyumri will be handed over to Armenian law enforcement officials, according to the press service of the Armenian Prosecutor General’s Office.

As a result of an armed assault on January 12 a family of seven was killed, including a six-month-old baby that died of injuries a week later. Permyakov was arrested and later charged with the murder of two or more persons under the Armenian Criminal Code. He pled guilty later in January.

Until now the investigation has been conducted by both Russian and Armenian law enforcement agencies.

In early February, Armenian Prosecutor General Gevorg Kostanyan addressed the Russian Prosecutor General’s Office with a motion to hand the case over to Armenia.

Kostanyan met with his Russian counterpart, Yury Chaika, and Chairman of the Russian Constitutional Court Valery Zorkin.

“Considering that the situation is unprecedented, we discussed the issue not only in terms of the criminal procedural legislation of the two countries but also in terms of constitutional and international law,” the Prosecutor General’s Office reported.

It was eventually decided that the investigation would be transferred to Armenia. “We cannot say right now when exactly it will happen. However, it is obvious that Armenian law enforcement will be dealing with the case, it will be tried in an Armenian court and the verdict will be issued on behalf of Armenia.”