Armenia plans to decouple probation service into separate civil one

Probation service in Armenia should be decoupled into a separate type of civil service. This was stated by the Deputy Minister of Justice, Levon Balyan, during the second and final reading of the package of bills on the Probation Service and the package of amendments to related laws, at Friday’s special session of the National Assembly.

According to Balyan, among other functions, the probation service carries out the execution of sentences. They include fines, community work, deprivation of the right to hold certain positions or engage in certain activities, as well as restriction of freedom of foreign citizens and their deportation from the country.

"The [probation] service envisages also for house arrest, implementation of alternative measures of administrative oversight, monitoring of persons not serving a conditional sentence, etc.," added Balyan.

The aforesaid draft, in particular, envisages the introduction of a certification system, and upon successful completion, the employees of the probation service will be able to get higher salaries.

In addition, employees of the probation service will be able to get pension equivalent to that of the military.