Only reporters were on hand today at a protest march organized by relatives of the Avetisyan family today in Gyumri days before the trail of Russian soldier Valery Permyakov,    is set to recommence.

Valery Permyakov, a soldier serving at the Russian 102nd military base in Gyumri, has been charged with the January 12, 2015 murder of seven Avetisyan family members  and his trial has begun in an Armenian court.

Rita Petrosyan, sister of slain Hasmik Avetisyan has said that the family is thinking of boycotting the January 18 trial to take place on the premises of the military base.

Today’s march, had it taken place, was supposed to head towards the Shirak Provincial Court where relatives were to demand a meeting with the court president.

Relatives say they want Armenia’s Prosecutor General Gevorg Kostanyan to prosecute the case against Permyakov and for the trial to relocate to the local first court of jurisdiction since it is a larger venue.

Avetisyan family relatives found today’s meager gathering a bit depressing but understandable given the arrests that took place last year when Gyumri residents publicly vented their anger over the murders and the way Permyakov had originally been handed over to Russian military prosecutors.

Rita Petrosyan argued that conducting the trial at the military base is depriving local residents of their right to participate and that everything is being done to placate the Russians.