Justice in Times of COVID-19 Webinar / Thailand Former officials given heavy prison terms / Effective corruption eradication in Indonesia

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Justice in Times of COVID-19 (webinar).  “Organized by United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) for the Judicial Integrity Network in ASEAN, the webinar will take place on Thursday, May 28th, 2020, 10:00-11:30 a.m. ICT. The objective of the webinar is to provide a space for peer exchange and learning among members of the Judicial Integrity Network in ASEAN in this difficult time. Representatives from judiciaries will discuss how courts in ASEAN have adapted operations, the challenges and successes thereof, to ensure access to justice and fair trials for citizens during the pandemic. Addressing how to build court capabilities to emerge better equipped from this crisis would also be central to the session.” 

 

 

 

(Thailand) Former National Office of Buddhism officials given heavy prison terms. “Former director of the National Office of Buddhism (NoB), Panom Sornsilp, and three other former senior officials were yesterday (19 May) handed heavy prison sentences, after they were found guilty of corruption in connection with temple funds by the Criminal Court for Corruption Cases. (…) The four former officials were charged with malfeasance in office in connection with the disbursement of funds from the NoB to several temples, supposedly for the promotion Buddhist studies, temple maintenance and production of printed materials for the teaching of Buddhism. The court found that, instead of giving the full amounts to the temples as promised, the four former officials kept the bulk of the money for themselves, with the consent of the temple abbot, who was apparently unaware of the scam. 

 

 

The fundamental tasks for effective corruption eradication in Indonesia (opinion). “Amid the torrent of news on the COVID-19 outbreak in Indonesia, recent reports on corruption are bringing the topic back to the fore with a public bewildered by apparent setbacks in the country’s tiresome battle against graft. A recent sting operation by the Corruption Eradication Commision (KPK) resulted in the arrest of a regional parliament speaker. Yet the arrest hardly felt like a victory, as it came amid a backdrop of allegations of a partial anti-corruption policy by the KPK, spurred by the agency turning a blind eye to an earlier bribery case involving a national election commissioner and a ruling party member. “ 

 

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