Anti-corruption sanctions: 2023 in numbers

In 2023, sanctions continued to be a popular tool of foreign policy and many new individuals and entities were designated for one reason or another. As CiFAR launches its updated Sanctions Watch platform today, which tracks individuals sanctioned for reasons related to corruption, this blog takes stock of the changed listings across key anti-corruption sanctions Read more about Anti-corruption sanctions: 2023 in numbers[…]

FINANCIAL INVESTIGATIONS AS A FIRST STEP TO RECOVER SANCTIONED ASSETS

Is it possible to confiscate sanctioned assets and use them for public good? How to do this quickly and without compromising the rule of law? These are some of the questions that CiFAR has been trying to understand since the freezing of Tunisian, Egyptian and Ukrainian assets under the EU’s misappropriation sanctions. These questions became Read more about <strong>FINANCIAL INVESTIGATIONS AS A FIRST STEP TO RECOVER SANCTIONED ASSETS</strong>[…]

Anti-corruption sanctions: 2022 in numbers

While sanctions lists have grown this year primarily due to new listings in connection to individuals linked to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, anti-corruption sanctions have not been forgotten. As CiFAR launches its updated Sanctions Watch platform today, which tracks individuals sanctioned for reasons related to corruption, this blog takes stock of this year’s changes in Read more about Anti-corruption sanctions: 2022 in numbers[…]

The EU and UK are releasing the money of deposed dictators

Why is the EU lifting sanctions on politicians accused of corruption in Egypt, Tunisia and Ukraine, when so little money has been recovered? On 12 March, the EU lifted sanctions against nine Egyptians responsible for the misappropriation of Egyptian state funds and unfroze the suspected proceeds of corruption, claiming that “the regime had served its Read more about The EU and UK are releasing the money of deposed dictators[…]

EU MISAPPROPRIATION SANCTIONS TEN YEARS ON – FACTSHEET 2021

BACKGROUND Following the revolutions in 2011 in Tunisia and Egypt and 2014 in Ukraine, the Council of the European Union imposed misappropriation sanctions on people suspected of corruption from the ousted regimes. These require that any assets relating to people on the list, including real estate and bank accounts, are frozen in all EU Member Read more about EU MISAPPROPRIATION SANCTIONS TEN YEARS ON – FACTSHEET 2021[…]

Freeze, confiscate, restore? Swiss ideas for future EU sanctions

This article is drawn from Clara Portela’s report for CiFAR – Sanctioning kleptocrats: An assessment of EU misappropriation sanctions written for CiFAR’s EU Sanctions Watch project. The blog was initially written for the European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR) and can be read in full on their website.  Sanctions for ‘misappropriation’ have proved their worth in forging ties Read more about Freeze, confiscate, restore? Swiss ideas for future EU sanctions[…]

What are the EU misappropriation sanctions and what are we doing about them?

With the help of their corrupt networks, kleptocrats steal billions from their citizens every year. One of the tools the European Union has at its disposal to fight kleptocrats are sanctions that freeze their assets. On 6th of March, at a Brussels event co-organised by our partners at Transparency International EU, CiFAR launched EU Sanctions Watch – Read more about What are the EU misappropriation sanctions and what are we doing about them?[…]

Time’s up, but not for us.

It’s seven years ago today the Egyptian revolution, with all its hope and potential, its demand for justice and accountability, began.  A key component of that revolution was the demand for an end to corruption and a reckoning for the grand corruption that had taken place under the former regime, not least the prosecution and Read more about Time’s up, but not for us.[…]

The future of Mubarak’s assets

  After Hosni Mubarak was released from prison in March 2016 and the EU extended for another year the freeze of his and his family’s assets, what will happen to his billions? CiFAR had a chat with the French news outlet BFM Business.   You can read the interview in French at this link.   Read more about The future of Mubarak’s assets[…]

Beyond Egypt: other people worth sanctioning in MENA

Masses of people flooded the streets to protest the endemic corruption of their governments in Cairo, Tunis and many other Arab cities. Following these uprisings six years ago, sanctions were imposed on public officials for misappropriating public funds. Here’s a look at recent European Union (EU) actions, such as asset freezes and visa restrictions. Egypt Read more about Beyond Egypt: other people worth sanctioning in MENA[…]