Members of Club de Madrid (CdM) have joined the initiative to establish the International Anti-Corruption Court (IACC) proposed by Integrity Initiatives International (III). The seminar ‘Protecting Democracies from Corruption’ aimed to help to promote Spain’s democratic culture by initiating a debate on how widespread corruption impacts democracies globally and empathising the need to increase international collaboration to support national initiatives around the world.
With this project, CdM is fostering political will to foster an environment where logical steps emerge to consolidate, strengthen, and reinforce the current international framework for combating corruption. Additionally, CdM is engaging the Spanish society in a discussion about whether it is time to establish an International Anti-Corruption Court (IACC) that could help safeguard democracies around the world.
The Summit for Democracy’s discussions on preventing and combating corruption serve as a backdrop for the project. In order to make sure that the project’s findings are in line with the US Department of State’s focal point, who is in charge of directing the discussion of the Summit’s Cohort on Corruption, CdM has participated in the Summit’s planning process as a member of civil society from the very beginning.
Club de Madrid Members and a select group of corruption experts discussed the effects of grand corruption on democracy and examine the steps necessary to establish an IACC. The event took place on November 17th at Universidad Francisco de Vitoria.
Panel 1: Analysing the impact of grand corruption on democracy: Law enforcement from an international perspective
Panel 2: Exploring the idea of creating an International Anticorruption court. What is perception at a national level towards the establishment of the IACC?
Among the participants of this Policy Lab were experts such as:
- Danilo Türk, President of Slovenia (2007-2012) and President of Club de Madrid
- Hanna Suchocka, Prime Minister of Poland (1992-1993) and Member of Club de Madrid
- Ignacio Cosidó, Director of the Center for the Global Common Good
- Judge Wolf, Chair of the board of Integrity Initiatives International
- Javier Cremades, lawyer and President of the World Jurist Association
- Augusto López-Claros, Executive Director and Chair of the Global Governance Forum
- Magistrate Joaquin Gadea, National Court, Juzgado Central de Instrucción número 6 de la Audiencia Nacional
Highlights
“To create an independent judicial system is a crucial point for fighting corruption” – Hanna Suchocka, Prime Minister of Poland (1992-1993) and Member of Club de Madrid
“We have worked very closely with the State Department of the United States and other actors including the Governments of Canada, the Netherlands, and Ecuador on the important issues of corruption, the problems of corruption, and preventing corruption so we are committed to this task” – Danilo Türk, President of Slovenia (2007-2012) and President of Club de Madrid
“Democracy is the most effective defense against corruption. When compared to totalitarian regimes, the level of corruption in developed democracies is not similar. The best weapon against corruption is more democracy, which also promotes journalistic freedom, the rule of law, and judicial independence” – Ignacio Cosidó, Director of the Center for the Global Common Good
“The world definitely needs an International Anti-Corruption Court (IACC). Grand corruption, the use of public office for private gain by nations leaders is an international problem. It is not a victimless crime and it requires a global transnational solution” – Judge Wolf, Chair of the board of Integrity Initiatives International
“I do believe that this is an excellent proposal…to underline what Judge Wolf said this would be a court of last resort. It would be complementary to existing national specialist jurisdiction to fight corruption at the national level which are often struggling to do the high level and transnational related prosecution they need to really address grand corruption…so this is really urgent” – Mia Grove, International Lawyer for Global Challenges and co-chair International coordinating committee of the International Corruption Court Campaign
“I firmly believe that Spain has effective tools to combat corruption. Spain underwent a significant revision to its penal law in 2010, but particularly in 2015. For those who don’t know me, I am a criminal judge, and the majority of my expertise is related to crimes (corruption crimes and investigation)” – Magistrate Joaquin Gadea, National Court, Juzgado Central de Instrucción número 6 de la Audiencia Nacional
