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APA 12 Jan 2017

A Turkish prosecutor has sought life sentence against three Armenian citizens—Arthur Ayvazyan, Aram Obanesyan, and Sergey Mikaelyan—who are suspected of having carried out an armed assault last year on an elderlyArmenian couple—Hagop and Seta Demirci—living in Istanbul, APA reported citing news.am.

The incident happened in Istanbul’s Shishli district in February 2016. Seta Demirci, 79, and her husband Hagop Demirci, 85, were found in their apartment bound with ropes and gagged. Hagop Demirci was pronounced dead by strangulation. According to Turkish media sources, the suspects—five of whom are women—are citizens of Armenia. The arrests were made in Trabzon.

The victims were reportedly robbed of their valuable possessions, including around 100,000 Turkish liras ($34,000). A watch belonging to Hagop Demirci and $10,000 were reportedly found in the possession of the suspects, according to Agos. The suspects, who have since been transported to Istanbul, were identified as Arthur A., Aram E., Sergey P., Marianna E., Lida P., Narkiz P., Armine M., and Kristina M. It was reported that one of the suspects had been employed by the victims.