YEREVAN. – The government is discussing a mechanism for confiscating property without an indictment.

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan on Wednesday stated the aforementioned at the National Assembly debates on the five-year program of the Government of Armenia.

“We have grounds that this is considered a normal practice in the European Court of Human Rights’ positions in the fight against corruption, and it’s not considered a violation of human rights; it’s considered an element of transitional justice,” Pashinyan stressed. “A person should explain the source for the origin of his property; in this case, the presumption of innocence doesn’t work, but rather the presumption of guilt, roughly speaking. If a person can’t prove that he has lawfully acquired that property, it’s considered unlawful [property].”

The PM noted that they are seeking mechanisms so that the money acquired through corruption be returned and be used for the army.