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Courtroom Duty: Armenia Tightens Grip on Financial Crime
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In a bid to crack down on corruption and economic crimes, Armenian authorities have set up a dedicated chain of law enforcement institutions. This move aims to establish a framework for specialists in financial investigations, but challenges remain.
Challenges Ahead
To effectively apply new laws and ensure successful prosecutions and asset recovery, advanced skills are needed. A shift in mentality is also required to overcome the existing gaps in the system.
Gaps to be Bridged
- Advanced skills are needed to effectively apply new laws.
- A shift in mentality is required to ensure successful prosecutions and asset recovery.
Training Courses for Effective Prosecution
To bridge this gap, the Council of Europe delivered two training courses on “Using Financial Investigations to Fight Economic Crime and Recover Assets” to 65 representatives from investigative, prosecutorial, and judicial authorities. The events followed the production of a technical guidance package on financial investigations into money laundering and terrorism financing.
Training Programme Objectives
- Build practical capacity by bringing together various functions within the system.
- Examine, discuss, and experiment with financial investigations.
- Cover international standards, latest practices, and specificities of the Armenian system.
Hands-on Exercises and Inter-Agency Cooperation
Hands-on scenario-based exercises and guided discussions allowed participants to share their experience and concerns in conducting financial investigations and using their outcomes for effective prosecution and asset recovery. The events also stimulated inter-agency cooperation at a national level, reflecting on roles, capacities, and possible contributions to improving the quality and effectiveness of financial investigations.
Support from European Organizations
Deputy Minister of Justice Armenuhi Harutyunyan expressed gratitude to the European Union and the Council of Europe for their support in implementing reforms in the Armenian justice and anti-corruption sector. She highlighted the importance of these training courses in acquiring new knowledge and skills in investigating corruption cases and recovering funds obtained from such offences.
Follow-up Activities
The Council of Europe will continue to help build national capacities against economic crime in Armenia through follow-up activities based on identified needs and expressed by national beneficiaries.