 The issue of confiscated Armenian property came about in a number of treaties signed between the First Republic of Armenia and the Ottoman Empire . Both the Treaty of Batum ( signed 4 June 1918 ) and the Treaty of Sevres ( signed 10 August 1920 ) contained provisions related to the restitution for confiscated properties of Armenians . The Treaty of Sevres under Article 144 specified that the Abandoned Property commissions and Liquidation commissions must be abolished and the laws of confiscation be annulled . Meanwhile , however , those who seized the assets and properties of Armenians turned to support the Turkish national movement since the dissolution of the Ottoman government would mean that the properties and assets would be protected under their name . Thus , on 8 May 1920 , the first law promulgated by the newly established parliament was to pardon those charged of massacre and expropriation of property by the Turkish Courts @-@ Martial of 1919 @-@ 20 . Furthermore , with the establishment of the Turkish republic and the signing of the Treaty of Lausanne ( 24 July 1923 ) , the provisions of the Treaty of Sevres eventually never took effect and the liquidation committees involved with the confiscation of Armenian property resumed operations . 
