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Azerbaijani Laundromat
The term refers to $ 2.9 billion money laundering by Azerbaijani ruling elite and other prominent officials in Azerbaijan between 2012-2014. It was implemented via four companies registered in the UK. The slush funds were mainly transferred through an Estonian branch of “Danske” bank. Between 2012-2014 Azerbaijani authorities illegally arrested a range of journalists, political activists, human rights defenders, politicians and representative of anti-corruption organizations. The “Azerbaijani Laundromat” unleashed that, in meantime, the representatives of the ruling Azerbaijani elite were using the slush funds to buy the silence of some high-ranking decision-making EU officials, upon the dictatorial regime in the country, Human Rights violations; arrests of numerous political prisoners, and give a positive feedback to false presidential elections.

In the leaked bank records the names of two former PACE members were mentioned. Those are Eduard Lintner, German ex-MP and member of the Christian Social Union and the Italian former chair of the Centre-right group in PACE, Luca Volontè. The regime sought to blunt criticism from Europe and the US by allegedly bribing delegates in what has been called “caviar diplomacy”. Another corrupted official was Alain Destexhe, a PACE lawmaker and Rapporteur on Azerbaijani Human Rights. As a result of revelation of facts Destexhe was summoned by his party to give explanation and was dismissed from his position in PACE. MEPs condemned the “Azerbaijani laundromat” and passed the following resolution;"attempts by Azerbaijan and other autocratic regimes in third countries to influence European decision-makers through illicit means".