Corruption is Everywhere > Right wing politicians persecuted around the world - Brazil and Turkey

 

Around the world, it is always right-leaning politicians who are being persecuted in the courts. Curious, eh?

Prosecutor calls for Brazil’s Supreme Court to convict Bolsonaro of coup plot

Americas

Brazil's chief prosecutor has called on the country's Supreme Court to find former president Jair Bolsonaro guilty of conspiring to stage a coup following the 2022 election, which was won by his left-wing rival, the current President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. The call came during closing arguments in a trial that included an attempt by US President Donald Trump to intervene in support of his right-wing ally.

A prosecutor asked Brazil's Supreme Court on Tuesday to find ex-president Jair Bolsonaro guilty of plotting a coup, in closing arguments after a trial that saw US President Donald Trump try to intervene on behalf of his right-wing ally.

Bolsonaro is accused of seeking to overturn the 2022 election won by his left-wing opponent, current President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.

The prosecution told the court that former army officer Bolsonaro and seven others were guilty of participating in "armed criminal association" and had sought to "violently overthrow the democratic order".

After the defense presents its closing arguments, a five-justice panel will decide the fate of the former president. If found guilty, Bolsonaro and his co-defendants could face up to 40 years in prison.

Bolsonaro says he is the victim of political persecution, echoing Trump's defense when the US president faced criminal charges before his White House return.

"It's not about imprisoning me; they want to eliminate me," he told news site Poder360 on Tuesday.

Read more‘Witch hunt’: Trump, Lula clash over Brazil’s Bolsonaro coup trial

Prosecutors say Bolsonaro tried to overturn his 2022 loss in a plot that only failed because the military did not side with him.

Violent supporters then rioted, rampaging through government buildings in the capital Brasilia in scenes that echoed the assault on the US Capitol by Trump's supporters after the Republican lost to Democrat Joe Biden in 2020.

The trial has attracted attention from Trump, who returned to power in the 2024 election and continues to claim – despite this being rejected repeatedly by the courts – that he won in 2020.

Trump has repeatedly called on social media for Bolsonaro's trial to be stopped, accusing the authorities in Brazil of mounting a "witch hunt" and a "disgrace".

US to probe Brazil trade

On July 9, he took his campaign to extraordinary new levels by announcing plans to tariff Brazilian imports to the United States at 50 percent.

And on Tuesday, Washington said it was opening an investigation into "unfair trading practices" by Brazil, a move that could provide a legal basis to justify imposing tariffs on South America's largest economy.

Unlike the tariffs Trump is slapping on countries around much of the world, including top US allies, the measures against Brazil – which are set to take effect on August 1 – were announced in openly political terms.

Read moreWhy is Trump lashing out at Brazil?

Trump cited "Brazil's insidious attacks on Free Elections," among other issues, warning of further escalation if the country retaliated – something Lula indicated would happen.

On Friday, Trump reiterated his claim that Bolsonaro was being unfairly treated.

"They're treating President Bolsonaro very unfairly," Trump told reporters, calling him "a good man".

"I know the honest ones, and I know the crooked ones," he added.

Lula has hit back at Trump's "interference," insisting that "no one is above the law".

(FRANCE 24 with AFP) 

Erdogan’s chief political rival jailed in Türkiye

Former Istanbul mayor Ekrem Imamoglu sentenced to 20 months in prison, reportedly for insulting a public prosecutor

FILE PHOTO: Ekrem Imamoglu © Getty Images / SOPA Images / Contributor

Ekrem Imamoglu, the former mayor of Istanbul and a key rival to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, has been sentenced to 20 months in prison for insulting a public prosecutor, according to local media reports.

The case stems from remarks Imamoglu allegedly made after police raided the home of a youth leader from his opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP). The politician reportedly responded by saying that Istanbul’s chief prosecutor, Akin Gurlek, had a “rotten” mind.

The verdict was handed down on Wednesday at the high-security Silivri court and prison complex near Istanbul, which often hosts politically sensitive trials. Imamoglu was acquitted of a separate charge of targeting officials involved in counterterrorism operations.

The 55-year-old former mayor has been in custody since March, awaiting trial on unrelated corruption charges. He has denied all allegations, claiming the cases are politically motivated and intended to derail his potential bid to challenge Erdogan in the 2028 presidential election. The government insists the judiciary is independent and denies any political interference.

And if you believe that, I have a tropical island for sale off the coast of Labrador, cheap.

READ MORE: Turkish court orders Istanbul mayor jailed amid violent protests (VIDEOS)

Imamoglu was first elected mayor of Istanbul in 2019 and re-elected in 2024. His arrest on March 19, which resulted in his temporary suspension from office, sparked mass unrest across Türkiye. Demonstrators clashed with riot police in multiple cities, including Istanbul and Ankara. Erdogan blamed the opposition for fueling the unrest and accused them of damaging the country’s economy.

Prosecutors had initially sought a sentence of more than seven years and a ban on Imamoglu holding public office. However, the final sentence fell short of the two-year threshold required to impose such a ban.

This is not the first time Imamoglu has faced legal trouble over his remarks. In 2022, he was sentenced to two years and six months in prison for criticizing election board officials who annulled his 2019 mayoral victory. That verdict is currently under appeal. If upheld, it could prevent him from participating in future elections. In March, Istanbul University annulled Imamoglu’s diploma, effectively barring him from running for president.

Erdogan's ambitions are not going to be thwarted by Imamoglu. 

Corruption is Everywhere > Gov't Influencing in UK; Bolsanaro in Trouble; Former Kyrgystan PM Arrested; Calvey Sentenced in Moscow; Rogozin Wants Death Penalty Back

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Conflict of interest inquiry probes UK MPs sitting on informal

parliamentary groups while paid by industry

2 Aug, 2021 17:25

FILE PHOTO. © AFP / Daniel LEAL-OLIVAS

British MPs who sit on influential parliamentary groups while holding plum industry jobs are the subject of a conflict of interest inquiry by the House of Commons Standards Committee, which is probing backdoor lobbying.

The inquiry is the first formal investigation since 2013 into concerns that the informal all-party parliamentary groups (APPG) are being used as a “vehicle for improper access or influence by lobbyists or foreign governments.”

There are more than 700 active APPGs, which are less regulated cross-party forums for policy discussion than select committees in Parliament. They are focused on a wide range of countries and issues, from Afghanistan to Zimbabwe, to zoos and aquariums.

The inquiry will hear evidence from witnesses on the alleged external influences on the groups next month, according to the Committee on Standards. Given their informal nature, the APPGs are allowed to involve individuals and organizations from outside Parliament in their activities, giving rise to accusations of conflicts of interest.

It is “vital” to ensure the APPGs are run “openly and transparently” and that there is no “inappropriate use,” said MP Chris Bryan, who chairs the Standards Committee.

Rules on lobbying are intended “to avoid the perception that outside individuals or organisations” may reward parliamentarians, “through payment or in other ways,” for “actions in the House” that will benefit those outside groups.

However, transparency watchdog Unlock Democracy has warned of a potential loophole in the rules that allows MPs to hold industry roles while being part of APPGs that work to shape government policy relating to those industries or sectors.

These MPs “should at the very least recuse themselves from any APPG activity that seeks to influence government policy, secure parliamentary debates, etc in the area championed by the APPG,” Tom Brake, the group’s director, told the Guardian.

Brake called for a “more transparent approach” and urged the inquiry to amend the lobbying rules to state that “being a paid adviser to a company, industry or sector and being a member of a relevant APPG, or a number of relevant APPGs, was a breach” of the code of conduct.

In response, Bryant told the paper that the committee would examine the group’s claims and said the point of the inquiry was to ensure that “the name of Parliament should never be taken in vain for commercial or personal gain.” 

APPGs have come under increased criticism in recent months. In June, researchers at the University of Bath published a study in the scientific journal PLOS One that found pharmaceutical companies provided almost £2.2 million ($3 million) of all funding received by 58 health-related registered APPGs between 2012 and 2018.

In 2013, a previous review of APPGs was launched after a lobbying sting by the BBC that resulted in former Tory whip Patrick Mercer’s resignation, after he was recorded saying that APPGs were attractive to MPs who wanted trips to foreign locations. 

But that review had refused to order a complete overhaul of regulations, claiming that stricter enforcement of rules would provide APPGs an “incentive to de-register” and lead to a “reduction rather than an increase in transparency.”

Perhaps, but then they could be dealt with as criminals.

Brazil President Jair Bolsonaro investigated over election fraud claims

By Zarrin Ahmed

Aug. 3 (UPI) -- Election officials in Brazil announced on Tuesday that they're investigating President Jair Bolsonaro for sowing doubt about the country's electoral process, which critics say is threatening to Brazilian democracy.

The populist and controversial Bolsonaro said last weekend that next year's presidential election might not be held due to questions about physical ballots.

Previously, he also questioned past elections and made claims that elections officials say are baseless.

The country's electoral authority, the TSE, said Tuesday that it will investigate his remarks to see if they constituted a crime or violation of Brazilian law.

"Threatening the realization of an election represents anti-democratic behavior," TSE President Luis Roberto Barroso said, according to The Guardian.

"Polluting the public debate with disinformation, lies, hatred and conspiracy theories represents anti-democratic behavior."

Seriously! In the 21st century, it seems like that is all democracy is about.

Bolsonaro, who was long a supporter of former U.S. President Donald Trump, responded Tuesday by saying that he won't accept "intimidation."

According to election officials, last year's municipal elections saw voter turnout of 147 million people across 5,500 municipalities and more than 400,000 machines. The voting system, implemented in 1996, has been praised for helping eliminate fraud and accelerate election results.

Experts say Bolsonaro's claims about fraud is a possible move to deflect the heavy criticism he's received over his response to the COVID-19 pandemic -- and the fact that polling indicates that he faces a tough election challenge next year from opponent Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.

It must be time to arrest da Silva again, for something!

Kyrgyzstan arrests former Prime Minister on corruption charges

linked to Canadian-run gold mine critics say is poisoning country

5 Aug, 2021 17:19

FILE PHOTO. Kumtor open pit gold mine in the Tien Shan mountains, Kyrgyzstan.

© Reuters / Vladimir Pirogov

By Gabriel Gavin, in Moscow

Temir Sariev, the former prime minister of Kyrgyzstan, has been detained over allegations of corruption and understating the environmental risk coming from one of the world’s largest gold mines, which is built into a glacier.

On Wednesday, the Pervomaisky District Court in the capital, Bishkek, announced that Sariev would be held behind bars until at least September 30. The Central Asian nation has been embroiled in a dispute over the colossal Kumtor Mine, which activists say has sent huge profits overseas at the expense of the local environment.

In May, government officials announced they had taken charge of the mine, forcing out Canadian firm Centerra Gold, which had previously been responsible for digging up nearly 16 tons of the precious metal each year. The firm has slammed the move as state appropriation and launched an international legal bid.

Jakub Kronenberg, a researcher at Poland’s University of Lodz, warned several years ago that “Kumtor is the largest mining operation interfering with glaciers worldwide,” and that its impact on the ice sheets was “huge in absolute terms.” There have also been fears that the glacier is melting faster than before and risks flooding wastewater ponds that are said to contain high levels of cyanide used in the extraction of gold, risking poisoning nearby water supplies.

However, Centerra disputes these allegations, saying the Kyrgystan government’s own expert reports “have confirmed that the Kumtor Mine is operated in accordance with international best practices and its recommendations for improvements have been implemented by the Company.” 

Instead, it says, climate change is the driving force behind the melting of the glacier.

President Sadyr Japarov, whose supporters had previously staged protests outside the dig site, promised as part of his election platform that he would bring down “all officials involved in corrupt practices.”

American investment guru Calvey handed 5.5-year suspended jail term in Russia for fraud as controversial case comes to an end

6 Aug, 2021 19:44

US investor and founder of the Baring Vostok investment fund, Michael Calvey, charged with involvement in embezzling money from Vostochny Bank, arrives at Moscow's Meshchansky District Court ahead of the announcement on his case, in Moscow, Russia. © Sputnik / Ekaterina Chesnokova

US-born financier Michael Calvey has been handed a 5.5-year suspended prison sentence in Russia for embezzlement, after a judge found he and his colleagues conspired to pocket tens of millions of dollars in a high-profile ruling.

The investor, who founded one of Russia's largest investment funds, was handed the sentence at a hearing of the Meshchansky Court in Moscow on Friday. Under its terms, he will have to remain in the country and report regularly to the authorities. Failing to comply with the terms could see the businessman put behind bars.

Calvey’s bank accounts are no longer subject to a court freeze order, according to TASS.

All other figures in the case have also been slapped with suspended sentences, including Calvey’s French associate Philippe Delpal, who was handed four and a half years, suspended. The prosecutors had been seeking a six-year suspended sentence for Calvey and a five-year term for Delpal.

Calvey, who founded Baring Vostok in 1994, was found guilty of the charges by a judge the day before. Speaking on the steps of the courthouse on Thursday evening, the financier argued that the prosecutors had failed to prove he had done anything wrong. “But it’s not over yet. I hope tomorrow the judge will address the real facts – hope dies last,” he added.

Authorities say Calvey and his associates overstated the value of assets as part of a financial transaction, accusing Baring Vostok's leadership of misappropriating funds worth 2.5 billion rubles ($34.2 million). The executives have all maintained their innocence and insist the claims were brought as part of a dispute with a rival Russian company. According to them, the case was brought in order to prevent Baring Vostok from effectively suing Vostochny Bank in a British court as part of a dispute over hundreds of millions of dollars allegedly disappearing from a jointly-owned business.

The investment fund, one of the country's largest, says it has put more than $2.5 billion into mid-sized firms and startups, as well as major domestic tech firms like Yandex. Moscow business daily Vedomosti previously described the firm as “a symbol of direct investment in Russia” and Calvey was a regular speaker at the influential St. Petersburg International Economic Forum.

He and his team have sought to portray the trial as a test for confidence in Russian business, and Calvey has argued that a favorable court decision would soothe any anxieties about the country among overseas venture capitalists. “It would not be an exaggeration to say that such a positive decision by the court could bring Russia billions of dollars in new investments, adding thousands of jobs,” he said in a statement prior to the verdict being made known.

Portraying himself as too important to take down might not have been the best strategy. It works in America, but, apparently not in Russia.

Bring back firing squads? Corruption in Russia’s military-industrial

complex should be punishable by DEATH, says space agency head

9 Aug, 2021 09:28

Soyuz-2.1b rocket booster with 36 OneWeb satellites blasts off from the launchpad at the Vostochny Cosmodrome, Amur region, Russia. © Sputnik / Russian Space Agency Roscosmos; (inset) Dmitry Rogozin © Sputnik / Evgeny Biyatov

The punishment for corruption in Russia’s military-industrial complex should be made much tougher, with the possibility of death by firing squad. That’s according to Dmitry Rogozin, head of Roscosmos, the country’s space agency.

Speaking to the popular YouTube channel Solovyov Live, Rogozin explained his view that corruption in this field is not only theft of state funds but also the theft of security.

“When I still worked in parliament, I publicly stated that, in my opinion, corruption in the military-industrial complex should be punished by firing squad, not by imprisonment,” Rogozin said, noting that his opinion has not changed in the time since.

Russia currently has a moratorium on the death penalty, introduced in 1997 when the country joined the Council of Europe.

The Russian Space Agency, in particular, has been the victim of several high-profile criminal cases involving the embezzlement of hundreds of millions of dollars worth of rubles. In particular, the construction of the Vostochny Cosmodrome in the country’s Far East was severely set back by corruption, which not only delayed its completion but also increased the cost of building.

In November 2019, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov reported that at least 11 billion rubles ($150 million) were stolen during its construction.

Earlier this year, Moscow daily Kommersant reported that new criminal cases had been opened for abuse of official authority and the embezzlement of hundreds of millions of rubles after new evidence came to light over agreements with cosmodrome contractors.

The Vostochny spaceport, despite its struggles, is now partially operational, and in 2023 will become the main launchpad of the country’s domestically made Angara launch vehicle. The first stage of the cosmodrome is already operational.

Brazil's President Tries to Shut-Down the Supreme Court to Prevent Investigating His Corruption

Bolsonaro joins rally against Brazil's top court;

judge warns democracy at risk

Anthony Boadle, Ricardo Brito, Reuters

BRASILIA (Reuters) - Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro joined a rally on Sunday on horseback as supporters urged the closing of the Supreme Court for investigating the right-wing leader, as one of its justices compared the risks to Brazil’s democracy with Hitler’s Germany.

Brazil's President Jair Bolsonaro rides a horse during a meeting with supporters protesting in

his favor, amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, in Brasilia, Brazil May 31, 2020.

REUTERS/Ueslei Marcelino

Deepening a political crisis during one of the world’s worst novel coronavirus outbreaks, Bolsonaro has slammed the top court for investigating his interference in police affairs and opening an inquiry into his supporters’ alleged libel and intimidation campaigns on social media.

The former army captain and defender of Brazil’s 1964-1985 military government has denounced the investigations, suggesting “absurd orders” should not be followed and warning that the court may “plunge Brazil into a political crisis.”

Brazil has been in a political crisis since Bolsonaro got elected. In fact, I'm not sure there ever was a time when Brazil wasn't in a political crisis.

Bolsonaro flew in a military helicopter over the rally in Brasilia where protesters held banners calling for shutting down Brazil’s Congress and top court, known as the STF. One said: “Military Intervention - close Congress and the STF now.”

Supreme Court Justice Celso de Mello, who is responsible for investigating a former justice minister’s allegation that Bolsonaro tried to meddle with law enforcement for personal reasons, said the president’s supporters were seeking a military dictatorship.

“We must resist the destruction of the democratic order to avoid what happened in the Weimar Republic when Hitler, after he was elected by popular vote ... did not hesitate annulling the constitution and imposing a totalitarian system in 1933,” de Mello told other judges in a message seen by Reuters.

A person familiar with the matter confirmed the authenticity of the message, which was also reported in Brazilian newspapers. De Mello’s office said the message was “exclusively personal.”

Bolsonaro has said his aims are democratic and that his opponents are trampling the constitution in their efforts to oust him.

After his helicopter ride, the president walked to the rally and shook hands with supporters, wearing no face mask despite its use being mandatory in the capital to fight the coronavirus outbreak. He then mounted a police horse and trotted past the crowd.

On Saturday night, a group of masked backers of Bolsonaro marched to the court carrying torches to call for its closure.

Bolsonaro Still in Control in Brazil, for Now

Brazil's justice minister resigns in clash with President Bolsonaro

By Danielle Haynes

Brazil's, justice minister, Sergio Moro announces his resignation from government during a news conference

in Brasilia, Brazil, on Friday. Photo by Joedson Alves/EPA-EFE

(UPI) -- Brazilian Justice Minister Sergio Moro resigned Friday after disagreeing with President Jair Bolsonaro over his firing of the head of the country's federal police.

The clash between Moro and Jair, both popular far-right figures, could cause political turmoil in the South American country as it attempts to stem the spread of the coronavirus. The pandemic has sickened more than 52,000 people and killed at least 3,600 people in Brazil, according to Johns Hopkins University.

In his resignation speech, Moro said he attempted to persuade Jair not to force the resignation of federal police chief Mauricio Valeixo.

"I have to protect my biography and above all the commitment I took on ... that we would stand firm against corruption, organized crime and violent crime," Moro said.

Shortly after the former justice minister's announcement, critics pounded pots and pans and shouted from their windows and balconies: "Bolsonaro out! Bolsonaro out!"

Brazilian Attorney General Augusto Aras asked the Supreme Court to investigate Valeixo's firing.

The clash comes one week after Bolsonaro fired Health Minister Luiz Henrique Mandetta after the two disagreed on how best to combat the spread of COVID-19. Bolsonaro has faced criticism for downplaying the pandemic despite overwhelmed healthcare facilities.

So, there was no military coup in Brazil three weeks ago as reports suggested. Bolsonaro appears to still be in control; for how long is another question.