Not-guilty verdict for Martinelli sign of crisis in Panamanian judiciary

Judiciary - The not-guilty verdict issued in Panama on Friday in the trial of former president Ricardo Martinelli shows the extent of the judicial crisis in the country.

 

President of the European Commission urged not meet ‘behind closed doors’ with Prime Minister of Czech Republic

Politics and government - Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babiš is reportedly planning to discuss his conflict of interest case with the President of the European Commission, Jean Claude Juncker, in a meeting in Brussels on Thursday.

Strache video points to need for robust anti-corruption frameworks worldwide

Politics and government - The scandal in Austria surrounding former Vice Chancellor Heinz Christian Strache highlights the ease with which the abuse of power and manipulation of political landscapes can happen, even in countries considered to have low levels of corruption. Global and regional initiatives and multilateral ...

Supreme Court decision in Brazil violates freedom of the press and sets concerning precedent

Judiciary - A decision by Brazil’s Supreme Federal Court (STF) to demand the suppression of a media report concerning one of the court’s sitting judges violates the freedom of the press, warns Transparency International Brazil.

German authorities asked to investigate elected officials over Azerbaijani Laundromat bribery scandal

Accountability - Transparency Germany has filed a criminal complaint against the Bundestag member Karin Strenz (Christian Democratic Union of Germany, CDU) and the former Bundestag member Eduard Lintner (Christian Social Union in Bavaria, CSU) over an alleged bribery case orchestrated by the Azerbaijani government.

Slovenian government agency challenged over suspicious razor wire contract

Public procurement - Transparency International's chapter in Slovenia is asking authorities look into a controversial government contract from 2015. Information relating to the contract had been kept secret from the public until last month.

Constitutional Court ruling undermines anti-corruption achievements in Ukraine

Judiciary - The Constitutional Court of Ukraine's decision to strike down Article 368-2 of the Criminal Code – the provision on illicit enrichment – greatly weakens the country’s anti-corruption efforts. The Ukrainian government should immediately take all necessary steps to rectify the situation.

Solidarity with Indonesian anti-corruption commission

Law enforcement - The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) is a vital pillar of rule of law and anti-corruption in Indonesia, Transparency International (TI) affirmed today, following reports of explosive devices being discovered at the home of KPK Chair Agus Rahardjo and Deputy Chair Laode Muhammed Syarif this ...

Guatemala: expulsion of CICIG must be immediately reversed

Accountability - Transparency International condemns in the strongest possible terms Guatemalan President Jimmy Morales’s decision to expel the International Commission Against Impunity in Guatemala (CICIG) and urges the Constitutional Court of Guatemala to block this attempt.

Marouane Mabrouk, Ben Ali’s son-in-law, should remain on EU sanctions list

Politics and government - The EU should not unfreeze the assets of a Tunisian businessman and son-in-law of the former Tunisian president Zine el Abidine Ben Ali, Transparency International said today.

Translations: AR