Armenian prosecutors have reportedly confiscated assets belonging to an independent lawmaker, Ishkhan Zakaryan, who could provide the key vote to help the  Armenian opposition in initiating a parliamentary vote of no confidence in Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan.

Zakaryan, a wealthy lawmaker, was elected to the Armenian parliament on the opposition Pativ Unem bloc’s ticket in 2021. He left the bloc a year later after being charged with abuse of power, money laundering and fraud, allegedly committed during his tenure in various senior positions under previous Armenian governments. Zakaryan has rarely attended National Assembly sessions and has never supported opposition initiatives.

The Office of the Prosecutor-General revealed on Tuesday, 18 June, that these accusations were later dropped, but did not specify when or why. 

Zakaryan gained public attention on May 9 as Archbishop Bagrat Galstanyan launched demonstrations in Yerevan demanding Pashinyan’s resignation. Pativ Unem and Hayastan, another opposition bloc, joined Galstanyan’s protest movement, pledging to attempt a no-confidence vote. The opposition controls 35 seats in the 107-member National Assembly, needing one more vote to initiate a censure motion. Galstanyan indicated that Zakaryan might provide that crucial vote.

Earlier this month, Zakaryan was quoted as saying he was ready to vote against Pashinyan if at least 18 lawmakers from the ruling Civil Contract party broke ranks.

On Monday, Zakaryan, his wife, son and daughter-in-law were summoned by the Office of Prosecutor-General to review findings from an inquiry into their assets. The inquiry, conducted under a controversial law allowing the confiscation of assets deemed illegally acquired, led to the freezing of AMD755mn ($2mn) worth of real estate and bank accounts.

Prosecutors have petitioned courts over the past two years to confiscate assets from dozens of former officials, including ex-Presidents Serzh Sargsyan and Robert Kocharyan, with few court verdicts so far. Pashinyan claims the asset forfeiture law combats corruption, while opposition figures argue it suppresses dissent and consolidates his power. Pashinyan has also faced allegations of corruption within his own entourage.