Exemption from prosecution of acts of grand corruption can no longer continue. The abuse of political power to siphon millions of dollars from public coffers is an endemic problem in every region of the globe. The Arab Spring resulted in the downfall of several dogmatic political leaders and highlighted the extensive abuse of public funds for personal gain. We are now seeing a similar and equally devastating fate in Ukraine. A recent study from Global Financial Integrity found that from 2002 to 2012 developing countries lost US$5.9 trillion to illicit outflows. Imagine if these funds never left their rightful place. Imagine if these funds were handled with transparent fiscal and institutional mechanisms and honest, law abiding leaders. How many lives would have been improved and raised out of abject poverty?
In 2013 GOPAC members unanimously mandated the organization to establish grand corruption as a crime of international law to enable international institutions and alliances to prosecute the guilty. Further to this end a bold Declaration emerged at the fifth Forum of Parliamentarians, held at the fifth Conference of States Parties to the United Nations Convention Against Corruption, where GOPAC members resolved to encourage states, the United Nations, and international institutions to develop additional international mechanisms to apprehend, prosecute, judge, and sentence those who have committed crimes of grand corruption.
These commitments set in motion the steps necessary to fight impunity for corruption at an international level. However, GOPAC and our members recognise that this is only the beginning. To successfully prosecute and punish the most egregious forms of corruption, we need collaboration from the international community and civil society.
This session will facilitate a discussion to shape and further concretize an international mechanism which would try those that are guilty of political corruption. It would ask a broad group of stakeholders - legislators, civil society and citizens – to design a solution to end impunity for corruption by creating an international mechanism that would equate grand corruption with a crime against humanity.
In the lead up to the 16th IACC GOPAC will launch a global campaign calling on citizens, civil society, legislators and governments to compel international institutions to prosecute crimes of "grand corruption" as crimes against humanity.
Secretary, Global Organization of Parliamentarians Against Corruption
John Hyde was the Member for Perth in the West Australian Parliament from 2001 to 2013. He is the Secretary of GOPAC and GOPAC Oceania and was the founding Chair of GOPAC Australia. He was the Chair or Deputy Chair of the West Australian Parliament’s oversight committee on the Corruption... Read More →
Since co-founding Global Witness and posing as a timber buyer in Global Witness's first investigation into the Thai Khmer Rouge timber trade in 1995, Patrick has taken part in over fifty field investigations in South East Asia, Africa and Europe and in subsequent advocacy activit... Read More →
Chief Executive Officer, Global Org Of Parliamentarians Against Corruption
One of our key priorities is international prosecution of Grand Corruption: http://gop.ac/19ALtTW | The Global Organization of Parliamentarians Against Corruption (GOPAC), is an international institution of legislators, working together to combat corruption, strengthen democracy... Read More →
José Carlos Ugaz became President of PROETICA, TI’s chapter in Peru, in 2002, then an Individual Member of Transparency International in 2008. A lawyer by training, Ugaz served as Ad-Hoc State Attorney of Peru in several corruption cases. During the Fujimori-Montesinos affair (2000-2002... Read More →
Governance successes and failures, anti-corruption policies and compliance, access to information and data protection, internal communication, running and kids.
