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[Facilitator's note: Thank you to Sofie Arjon Schuette, Advisor, U4 Anti-Corruption Resource Center at the Chr. Michelsen Institute, for sharing this information.] The U4 Anti-Corruption Resource Centre has just released Chapter 5: Detention and Corrections, part of the Issue paper Corruption risks in the criminal justice chain and tools for assessment. This chapter provides a general overview of the corruption risks in detention and corrections phase of the criminal justice process. Many prisons operate outside of meaningful public scrutiny. That, coupled with the subservient position of prisoners, the discretion correctional officers enjoy, and the anxiety of inmates’ families and friends create an environment in which corruption risks are high. While there is extensive literature on the management of correctional institutions from the perspective of efficiency, only few comprehensive assessments of corruption risks in specific correctional systems such as in the Philippines and ...

A German rights group said on Thursday (Jan 29) that it has been ordered by Thailand's military government to cancel a briefing on the health of the kingdom's media landscape, in a growing clampdown on freedom of expression. The Friedrich Ebert Foundation said military officers had ordered them not to hold a briefing at a Bangkok hotel on Friday - part of a series of annual reports looking at the challenges journalists face in Asia. Read the story by Channel News Asia. http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/asiapacific/thai-junta-orders-german/1625272.html

A news report by The Jakarta Post says the country's Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) fears a total paralysis of its leadership because of how the National Police is handling criminal reports against KPK commissioners. KPK prevention unit deputy Johan Budi said the total paralysis could take place if the National Police pressed ahead with processing criminal reports filed against all KPK commissioners and named them as suspects, as it would automatically result in the suspension of KPK commissioners as regulated under Article 32 of Law No. 30/2002. Read the story by Haeril Halim and Ina Parlina, in Asia One. http://news.asiaone.com/news/asia/indonesias-anti-corruption-bureau-faces-total-paralysis

[Facilitator's note: Thank you to Sofie Arjon Schuette, Advisor, U4 Anti-Corruption Resource Center at the Chr. Michelsen Institute, for sharing this information.] The U4 Anti-Corruption Resource Centre has just released Chapter 5: Detention and Corrections , part of the Issue paper Corruption risks in the criminal justice chain and tools for assessment . This chapter provides a general overview of the corruption risks in detention and corrections phase of the criminal justice process. Many prisons operate outside of meaningful public scrutiny. That, coupled with the subservient position of prisoners, the discretion correctional officers enjoy, and the anxiety of inmates’ families and friends create an environment in which corruption risks are high. While there is extensive literature on the management of correctional institutions from the perspective of efficiency, only few comprehensive assessments of corruption risks in specific correctional systems such as in t...

United Kingdom: Alstom to face bribery trials in UK court United States: Former Judge-Executive Sentenced to Prison for Tornado Kickback Scheme United States: Former Detroit Public Library Contractors Sentenced on Bribery Charges United States: North Carolina Couple Sentenced to Pay $342,447 in Restitution for Participating in Health Care Kickback Scheme Panama: High Court OKs Corruption Probe of Ex-President South Korea: Bombardier Transportation accused of corruption in South Korea South Africa: R700 Billion Lost to Corruption in 20 Years Australia: Tony Fitzgerald fears Queensland is veering back to corruption of the 80s Kuwait: For 1st time, Kuwait jails ex-MP for electoral bribery China: Coal official’s corruption probe concludes

Today's top story Global : Transparency International battles corruption worldwide Christian Science Monitor (TI mention) When Carmela, a middle-aged woman in a makeshift homeless settlement in Venezuela, witnessed her grown son being beaten and dragged out of his apartment by the police, she knew that arranging for his freedom would be a difficult task. More news Global: UK Alstom bribery investigation swings spotlight onto Hungary Reuters Pakistan:   Convicted spot-fixer Mohammad Amir cleared to return to cricket in Pakistan The Guardian Panama : Panama to launch corruption inquiry into ...

[Facilitator's note: Thank you to Nina Schild, Events Coordinator, Basel Institute on Governance, Basel, Switzerland, for sharing this information. AP-INTACT shares this information strictly as a service to members. To know more, you may click on the links below or write to the email addresses provided. Please do not send your query or application to AP-INTACT. AP-INTACT is not responsible for the accuracy of the posted information and assumes no liability for the registration and programme practices/decisions of the sponsoring organisation.] Workshop on Quantitative and Qualitative Research Methods on Corruption and their Application The Basel Institute on Governance is pleased to announce the opening of registrations for its upcoming "Workshop on Quantitative and Qualitative Research Methods on Corruption and their Application" to be held on 20-22 April 2015 in Basel, Switzerland. Further details on the programme and registration requirements you can find in the worksho...

Facilitator’s note: Thank you to Annika Wythes, Luisa Senibulu, and Samita Singh of the joint UNDP-UNODC Pacific Regional Anti-Corruption Project, for these updates.]   Pacific corruption through the eyes of youth. Young people in the Pacific are being urged to use photography to become a community voice against corruption. http://www.radioaustralia.net.au/international/radio/program/pacific-beat/pacific-corruption-through-the-eyes-of-youth/1409919 Fiji: FRCA terminates officers. The Fiji Revenue and Customs Authority has reiterated its stand against corrupt practices in the workplace, terminating about 40 staff members in the past seven years because of breaches to its code of conduct and regulations. http://www.fijitimes.com/story.aspx?id=293086 Fiji: PAC seeks answers. Ministry representatives have been invited by the Public Accounts Committee to verify and detail discrepancies highlighted in the Auditor-Generals reports. http://www.fijitimes.com/s...

Ukraine: Wanted Ukrainian oligarch granted visa to Israel, ex-minister gets citizenship United States: BNY Mellon may face bribery charges over sovereign wealth funds: filing United States: Oppenheimer fined $20 million for AML failures in penny stock trades United Kingdom: UK’s Americanized development programs fail to address corruption – MPs Romania: Two Romanian ex-ministers jailed for corruption Pakistan: Pakistan Post suffers Rs1.6bn loss in five years Tanzania: Energy Minister Quits Over Graft Scandal Israel: Top media adviser implicated in Yisrael Beytenu scandal Taiwan: Prosecutors indict Tainan deputy council speaker on bribery charges Hong Kong: HK Authority Completes Investigation into Former Chief Executive Donald Tsang

Today's top story Brazil: Petrobras releases results delayed by corruption scandal Financial Times Brazil's Petrobras has admitted it is so far unable to calculate how much money was stolen from the company in a vast corruption scandal that has shaken confidence in the world’s second-largest emerging market. More news South Africa: R700 billion lost to corruption in 20 years South African Press Association South Sudan: South Sudan lawmakers vote to impeach governor Voice of America Spain: Princess Cristina hopes to sell luxury Barcelona house to pay court bonds The Guardian Thailan...

In its Asia-Pacific Regional Report Achieving Development Results in Asia and the Pacific, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) spotlighted its string of successes in 36 countries and territories in the Asia and Pacific region in the areas of poverty reduction, conservation of natural resources, democratic governance, and crisis resilience. “The report documents the achievements of UNDP’s $2 billion delivery in the region during the past two years [2013-2014], focusing on key priority areas: innovative solutions to persistent development challenges and scaling up those solutions for greater impact,” UNDP Administrator’s Helen Clark said. Read the story in the UN News Centre. http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=49908

[Facilitator's note: Thank you to Samantha Grant, TI Regional Coordinator for Southeast Asia, for sharing this information.] " 'The role of independent anti-corruption commissions is critical to fighting corruption and holding those in power to account. This has been proven in many countries in South East Asia where principled investigations by independent anti-corruption commissions have pursued senior political figures irrespective of their political party affiliations,' said José Ugaz, chair of Transparency International. The KPK has been a shining example of this and has been able to demonstrate its impact by successfully catching high level officials and holding them accountable." Read the press statement by Transparency International. http://www.transparency.org/news/pressrelease/transparency_international_supports_indonesias_anti_corruption_commission

According to South China Morning Post, Thailand and Philippines-based "boiler rooms" laundered cash worth hundreds of millions of US dollars through Hong Kong's banking system over the past decade, according to documents released online by aggrieved investors now angling for financial settlements with boiler room kingpins - and the banks that helped them. "The magnitude and scale of cash moving through the accounts is at a level where banks have highly likely violated money laundering regulations," said John, a senior representative of investor network Fraud Recovery Group (FRG), preferring a pseudonym after several FRG members were physically threatened. Read the story by Benjamin Robertson, in South China Morning Post. http://www.scmp.com/business/money/article/1681719/hong-kong-banks-caught-boiler-room-money-laundering-schemes

26 January 2015 – The United Nations main development programme spotlighted today its string of successes in 36 countries and territories in the Asia and Pacific region in the areas of poverty reduction, conservation of natural resources, democratic governance, and crisis resilience. Launched by the UN Development Program ( UNDP ), the Asia-Pacific Regional Report Achieving Development Results in Asia and the Pacific highlights the accomplishments of programmes implemented in 2013 and 2014. “The report documents the achievements of UNDP’s $2 billion delivery in the region during the past two years, focusing on key priority areas: innovative solutions to persistent development challenges and scaling up those solutions for greater impact,” UNDP Administrator’s Helen Clark said in a statement today. Innovative solutions go hand-in-hand with efforts to strengthen local level partnerships, UNDP says. An example of that is the Programme’s work with Baidu, China’s largest ...

27 January 2015 Today's top story China: China's anti-graft unit tells sports to play fair, drop gold medal fever Reuters China's sports regulator has pledged to drop the nation's obsession with gold medals after the ruling Communist Party's anti-graft watchdog warned of the damaging extent of match-fixing and cheating in sports. More n...

United States: Owner of Miami Home Health Company Sentenced to 106 Months in Prison in $30 Million Health Care Fraud Scheme United Kingdom: Weavering hedge fund founder Magnus Peterson jailed for 13 years over fraud United States: N.Y. State Assembly Speaker Silver to temporarily relinquish duties: NYT Ireland: Former Fine Gael councillor to appeal corruption conviction United States: Montemayor to be sentenced after guilty plea on charges of bribery Iran: Graft suspect’s airline company confiscated China: Communist Party official ‘attempts to throw himself to death to avoid downfall’ South Korea: Opposition lawmaker grilled over illicit funds Israel: Yet More Disgrace to Israel Police as Senior Commander Resigns in Shame Zimbabwe: One third of Zimbabwe’s lawyers being investigated for fraud

"I want to follow up on Melanie’s post last week , about the OECD’s first-ever Foreign Bribery Report , and what its findings tell us about patterns and tendencies in firms’ illegal bribe activities in foreign countries. The Report is an important and informative document that presents, as its introduction says, 'an analysis of all foreign bribery enforcement actions that have been completed since the entry into force of the' OECD Anti-Bribery Convention . There’s a lot in it, and I may do another blog post at some point on some other aspect of the report. But for now I wanted to focus on one thing about the report that jumped out at me: the way in which the report’s findings seem to be in some tension with my prior beliefs/stereotypes about the contexts in which foreign bribery is most frequent." Read the post by Matthew Stephenson, in the Global Anticorruption Blog. http://globalanticorruptionblog.com/2015/01/26/which-firms-and-employees-are-most-likely-t...

Over the past month in Taiwan, many newly inaugurated local government chiefs have been busy overturning policies initiated by their predecessors. Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je, for example, has set up an anti-corruption committee, with a priority of investigating six infrastructure projects contracted to certain business groups under the build-operate-transfer model. An editorial in Focus Taiwan says "any allegations of corruption should be investigated to uphold social fairness and justice." The editorial goes on to say that "if such allegations are not based on facts but on personal perceptions, or are intended as a kind of political manipulation to attack the former administration, they can have negative repercussions." Read the editorial by Y.F. Low, in Focus Taiwan. http://focustaiwan.tw/news/awps/201501220010.aspx

"Asia is making remarkable progress in development and poverty reduction. But, why have some countries developed more rapidly than others? In the 1950s, the Philippines was second only to Japan in per capita gross domestic product (GDP), but slipped to among the lowest in per capita GDP terms of the major Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean), although it has been growing more rapidly in recent years. The People’s Republic of China lifted its per capita GDP from just over $300 in 1990 to nearly $7,000 today. My experience of developing Asia tells me that good government policies comprising eight key actions provide the answer to this question. The right policies in these eight areas can lift low-income countries at least to upper-middle income status." Read the op-ed by Takehiko Nakao, president of the Asian Development Bank, in Live Mint. http://www.livemint.com/Opinion/XSWR5gJEbpDtMVfS5N8huI/Eight-key-actions-for-development.html

[Facilitator's note: Thank you to Putri Rahayu Wijayanti, Directorate of Fostering Networks Between Commissions and Institutions, Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK), Republic of Indonesia). Another deputy chairman of Indonesia's Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK), Adnan Pandu Praja, was reported by a timber company to the police for the alleged takeover of the company’s shares. Mukhlis Ramlan, a lawyer of timber company PT Desy Timber, accused Adnan of taking over by force of his clients’ shares in the company in 2006 when Adnan was acting as a lawyer of the company holding a concession of a 36,000-hectare forest in Berau, East Kalimantan in 1970. Read the story by Antara News in The Jakarta Post. http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2015/01/24/another-kpk-commissioner-reported-police.html See also: "#WhereAreYouJokowi: President steers clear of police-KPK conflict." http://www.rappler.com/world/regions/asia-pacific/indonesia/81775-jokowi-steers-clear-kpk-poli...

Citing sources inside the country, a Radio Free Asia (RFA) story says some top Lao politicians are building high-priced, luxury homes in the impoverished one-party communist country, raising questions among citizens about where the money is coming from. Lao President Choummaly Sayasone is reportedly building a pricey house and garden in Thatluang village of Saysetha district in the capital Vientiane. It is said to include a 5 billion kip (U.S. $615,000) garden, a source with knowledge of the matter who did not want to be identified told RFA’s Laos Service, although he could not provide the price of the president’s house. Read the story in Radio Free Asia. http://www.rfa.org/english/news/laos/politicians-build-luxury-homes-01232015162351.html

Korea's National Assembly approved a parliamentary probe into alleged irregularities in past governments' overseas resource development projects, although rival parties had yet to agree on the selection of witnesses. The parties passed a proposal for the investigation, which aims to look into allegations that past administrations spent tens of billions of dollars on various natural resource development projects overseas with few results. Read the story in The Korea Herald. http://www.koreaherald.com/view.php?ud=20150112001135

WSJ - Corruption Currents: Will Russians ‘Eat Less’ to Support Putin? (23 Jan 2015). By Samuel Rubenfeld. http://blogs.wsj.com/riskandcompliance/2015/01/23/corruption-currents-will-russians-eat-less-to-support-putin/

[Facilitator's note: Thank you to Adhi Setyo Tamtomo, International Cooperation Specialist, Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK), Indonesia, for sharing this information.] Indonesia's Corruption Eradication Commission, or KPK, confirmed that an activist in East Java who was recently ambushed and shot by unknown gunmen had been helping it in its investigation of a well-known local politician. Mathur Husairi, 47, the director of a local group named Islamic Center for Democracy, is in recovery at Soetomo General Hospital in Surabaya after he was shot by two unidentified gunmen. Read the story by Fana F.S. Putra & Yeremia Sukoyo, in The Jakarta Globe. http://thejakartaglobe.beritasatu.com/news/kpk-activist-shot-e-java-one-sources/

Household corruption, mainly bribes people give government officials, fell by 68% over the course of 15 years, but "donations" to schools tripled during the period. The study by Chulalongkorn University's Faculty of Economics found parents' donations to schools under the Office of the Basic Education Commission or state schools, tripled to 640 million baht in 2013 from 1999. Financed by Thailand Research Fund, the 2013 study was based on a survey of heads of 6,000 households nationwide. Read the story in Bangkok Post. http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/general/458050/household-corruption-down-68

Iran’s first vice president says fighting corruption would not be possible from "behind the doors". According to Iran’s state news agency IRNA, Eshaq Jahangiri -- who was addressing the 43rd meeting of the Iran Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines and Agriculture -- said the Iranian government "is resolute in acting according to the constitution, commitment to honesty before the public; I believe fighting corruption would be effective only when people are sensitive to the issue and a free media enlightens the public opinion with investigative journalism." Read the story in Mehr News. http://en.mehrnews.com/detail/News/105574

"Early last month, the OECD released its first Foreign Bribery Report . According to Angel Gurria, the organization’s Secretary-General, the report 'endeavors to measure, and to describe, transnational corruption based on data from the 427 foreign bribery cases that have been concluded since the entry into force of the OECD Anti-Bribery Convention in 1999.' The report as a whole is quite interesting, but I would like to hone in on the OECD’s findings regarding who engages in bribery, and how this should change how we approach arguments on whistleblower internal reporting requirements." Read the full post by Melanie Botho Emmen, in the Global Anticorruption Blog. http://globalanticorruptionblog.com/2015/01/23/bribery-in-the-boardroom-implications-for-internal-reporting-programs/

United States: Wells Fargo, JPMorgan hit over kickback scheme United States: SEC Fines Company, Former Exec for FCPA Violations United Kingdom: Four Sun journalists accused of making corrupt payments face retrial Thailand: Former Thai prime minister to appear in court over corruption in Thailand Russia: Russian Natural Resources officials held on bribery charges Romania: Romanian judge took BMW and dresses as bribes, prosecutors say China: Huawei Eyes Growth in Europe as Entry Into U.S. Remains Elusive India: Sony admits it is investigating its India operations Sri Lanka: Anti-graft body bars ex-central bank head, Rajapaksa ally from leaving country Bangladesh: ACC sues municipality mayor in Gazipur

Today's top story Rwanda: Killers of Rwandan anti-corruption activist jailed for 20 years Reuters Two Rwandan police officers have been jailed for 20 years for killing an anti-corruption activist who was investigating mineral smuggling from Democratic Republic of Congo . More news Global: Scandal-hit Fifa lose three more major sponsors The Guardian China: 'I will not give up' says Chinese mother who can't find anyone to bribe for daughter's schooling Bloomberg Germany: 'Fight harder' against corruption: activists The Local (TI mention) Indonesia: Arrest of Indo...

WSJ - Corruption Currents: Chorus Condemns Iran Sanctions Proposal (22 Jan 2015). By Samuel Rubenfeld. http://blogs.wsj.com/riskandcompliance/2015/01/22/corruption-currents-chorus-condemns-iran-sanctions-proposal/

Pope Francis has called on the Philippine government to fulfill its pledges to crack down on the country’s rampant corruption. Addressing assembled dignitaries, including President Benigno Aquino, at the Malacanang presidential palace in Manila, the Pontiff called on “everyone, at all levels of society, to reject every form of corruption which diverts resources from the poor.” Read the story by Emily Rauhala, in Time. http://time.com/3671080/pope-francis-philippines-corruption-poverty/

The Anti-Corruption Front established by the new Sri Lankan government to investigate corruption, frauds and other illegal activities of the former administration has recommended auditing all Sri Lankan government institutions. Member of the Anti-Corruption Front and President's Coordinating Secretary Senior Lawyer Shiral Lakthilaka said at a media briefing that the public expects establishing good governance in the country by eliminating all sorts of corruption. Read the story in Colombo Page. http://www.colombopage.com/archive_15A/Jan21_1421827016CH.php See also: "Sri Lanka's Anti-Corruption Front gets over 3,300 complaints." http://www.dailynews.lk/?q=police-legal/anti-corruption-front-gets-over-3300-complaints

Facilitator’s note: Thank you to Annika Wythes, Luisa Senibulu, and Samita Singh of the joint UNDP-UNODC Pacific Regional Anti-Corruption Project, for these updates.] Pacific youth invited to capture corruption in photo contest. Youth from around the Pacific region are being encouraged to capture images of the effects of corruption and to enter the images in a photo contest that could win them an all-expenses paid trip to Fiji to attend the Pacific Youth against Corruption Forum in February 2015. http://www.pina.com.fj/?p=pacnews&m=read&o=91133179954bc587c585c904dd704c PNG: Third MP jailed for corruption. Another Papua New Guinea MP has been jailed for misappropriation of public money. The Komo-Magarima MP, Francis Potape, was sentenced to two and half years in prison with hard labor. http://www.radionz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/264044/third-png-mp-jailed-for-corruption Cook Islands: Prime Minister Closely Watching By-Election. Prime Minister Henry Puna says he is kee...

According to local media, the Indonesia National Police has arrested Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) deputy chief Bambang Widjojanto on Friday morning (23 January 2015), citing an election-dispute case in 2010. Bambang was taken by police when he was taking his children to school. National police spokesman Insp. Gen. Ronny F. Sompie has confirmed that Bambang had been arrested. Read the story in Jakarta Globe. http://thejakartaglobe.beritasatu.com/news/kpk-deputy-chief-bambang-widjojanto-arrested-police-motive-unclear/ See also: "Indonesia's political crisis deepens with arrest of antigraft official". http://www.rappler.com/world/regions/asia-pacific/indonesia/81737-indonesia-political-crisis-kpk-police-bambang-widjojanto

As Ebola’s death toll surpasses 8,000 people , well-intentioned individuals have been suggesting different strategies to contain the crisis. Many of these recommendations have included the use of modern technologies like cell phones, coupled with innovations such as a global rapid response team. But more than anything, what Africa really needs is simply more investment in its people and its basic health care infrastructure, along with reduced corruption—making sure that the money sent to lay the foundations of public health actually goes where it is supposed to. Read the article byt Laura H. Kahn, in Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists. http://thebulletin.org/what-africa-really-needs-fight-ebola-and-other-emerging-diseases-anti-corruption-efforts7928

Posted on January 15, 2015 by Matthew Stephenson, Global Anticorruption Blog. An updated version of my anticorruption bibliography is available from my faculty webpage .  A direct link to the pdf of the full bibliography is here , and a list of the new sources added in this update is here .  As always, I welcome suggestions for other sources that are not yet included, including any papers GAB readers have written. http://globalanticorruptionblog.com/2015/01/15/anticorruption-bibliography-january-2015-update/