Director of the Yabloko Anti-Corruption Policy Centre on the implications of Russia’s withdrawing from the Criminal Law Convention on Corruption
Special for the Yabloko web-site, 26.12.2022
Photo: Alexei Karnaukhov, Director of the Yabloko Anti-Corruption Policy Centre / Photo by the Yabloko Press Service
The Russian government proposed to the President to withdraw from the Criminal Law Convention on Corruption. Such a withdrawal maintains the line towards the break with European legal standards and will throw Russia 15 years back into the past. Why is the Convention so important and what are the implications of the withdrawal? A viewpoint of Alexei Karnaukhov, Director of the Yabloko Anti-Corruption Policy Centre.
The Criminal Law Convention on Corruption was adopted in 1999 and ratified by Russia in the wake of anti-corruption reforms in 2007. The document describes what acts should be considered crimes, how countries should build international cooperation, protect witnesses and apply liability to criminals.
Withdrawal from the Convention inflicts yet another reputational damage on Russia. Refusal to comply with the Convention signals that combating corruption is no longer a priority for Russia, and any achievements [in the field of combatting corruption] can be easily crossed out. This is a new destructive step which follows Russia’s withdrawal from the Council of Europe and the European Convention on Human Rights. Russia demonstratively moves away from the European space and values, strengthening in the status of a pariah country.
The fight against corruption will become even less effective. The Convention was the basis for cooperation between states against corruption. Monitoring of compliance with the terms of the Convention by the Group of States against Corruption (GRECO) helped to modernise legislation and law enforcement, and focus on the key vulnerabilities in the system. Without independent assessments and adherence to legal standards, the system in Russia will continue to crumble.
The Yabloko Anti-Corruption Policy Centre opposes Russia’s withdrawal from the Convention, and considers such a withdrawal disastrous and senseless. A “special path” in the field of anti-corruption will only mean the degradation of the legal system for Russia. By withdrawing from the Convention, Russia will only cause new damage to itself.
ALEXEI KARNAUKHOV
is lawyer, Director of the Yabloko Anti-Corruption Policy Centre and municipal deputy of the Moscow district of Khamovniki
Posted: December 26th, 2022 under Economy, Elections, Governance, Human Rights, Russian Economy, YABLOKO against Corruption.