Unprecedented Cases of Corruption in Azerbaijan, Russia and Myanmar

During the 2024 International Anti-Corruption Conference in Lithuania, at a workshop hosted by Grigory Mashanov, various NGO leaders shared their experiences and challenges of operating in exile. The anti-corruption lawyer emphasized the shrinking space for freedom globally, despite civil society's efforts to continue its work.

Emin Huseynov, an Azerbaijani human rights defender and journalist in exile; Lead of the Climate Observers Partnership discussed the heightened challenges since going into exile, with the most critical being the continued effectiveness of their operations. After more than 15 years dedicated to combating corruption, advocating for freedom of expression, and defending human rights, he now faces betrayal by former partners and has noted a significant decrease in financial support. These partners assert that supporting civil society in exile has become too risky and costly. Almost all NGOs operating in Azerbaijan are either government-organized non-governmental organizations (GONGOs) or entities that have compromised their principles. Similarly, most donors have adopted a stance that restricts their funding to organizations operating within the country. Huseynov emphasized the importance of adapting to the realities of exile by seeking new international donors and leveraging digital tools such as AI, to maintain effectiveness. He also spoke of legal strategies for asset recovery, underlining their importance in holding regimes accountable. Despite these adversities, Huseynov firmly believes that with the power of digitalization, it is possible to operate effectively whether inside the country or in exile. He has articulated a new vision for the next decade, outlining how his organization should proceed and asserting that they are well-positioned to make meaningful change. This vision takes on particular importance given the situation in Azerbaijan ahead of COP29, which will be hosted there. In light of this, the IRFS team has launched a new campaign aimed at raising awareness and fostering increased solidarity from the international community.

“We have limited people; we don’t need murdered heroes. One person in exile, can be able to destroy kleptocrats. With one strong investigation you’re able to change millions of people’s minds […] but what we need is to be free” - Emin Huseynov

Ye Lin Myint, from Defend Myanmar Democracy recounts how Myanmar has been under military control since the February 2021 coup, which ousted the democratically elected government. International companies primarily involved in the oil and gas sector continue to operate and generate revenue for the government, which indirectly supports the military regime's activities, including human rights abuses. He emphasized that the endless torture and arrests leave no secular space for the civil society to operate in. Despite this, the organization maintains its work on accountability for both public and private sectors, successfully challenging international companies' operations in the country.

“Our stream of work is keeping accountability of those international companies. Politically, we have been very successful in stopping the engagements with these white giants” - Ye Lin Myint

Ilia Shumanov, general director of Transparency International Russia, explained how their organization, once part of Transparency International, now operates independently due to a hostile environment. He emphasized the risks of Russian agents infiltrating NGOs, complicating the maintenance of operational integrity. Recruiting specialists while in exile is also difficult, as the talent pool is typically within the country. Despite these challenges, the organization continues providing critical digital services, such as information on government procurement and whistleblower protections, which are widely used by millions. These technological tools enable them to continue their work in Russia, even as the space for such activities is limited.

 “We need to be more adaptive to the current situation because we are the unique chapter of transparency international, now that we can work from exile” - Ilia Shumanov

The experts in this discussion highlighted the importance of operating from safer locations. They noted that modern technology enables corruption investigations without requiring physical presence in hostile areas. The discussion also underscored the need to adapt strategies by diversifying funding sources and balancing transparency with security.

Full Video Available At: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H8w2ndb6APE