Strengthening the Ability of Journalists to Report on Illicit Financial Flows

Photo credit: International Lawyers Project

Situation

Illicit Financial Flows (IFFs) refer to the cross-border movement of money that has been illegally earned, transferred or used. IFFs arise from different kinds of activities, such as cross-border tax avoidance, illegal commercial practices, criminal activities such as human trafficking, and illegal markets (e.g. arms and drug trafficking) as well as bribery and theft by corrupt government officials. IFFs have significant negative impacts on the economies of developing countries. Estimates suggest that approximately USD 89 billion worth of funds leave the African continent annually, representing 3.7% of the continent’s GDP. These losses deprive developing countries of critical resources that could otherwise be used to finance much-needed public services, infrastructure and sustainable economic development.

Journalists play a central role in combating IFFs by exposing these flows and the schemes that perpetuate them, placing pressure on governments to hold perpetrators accountable. Over the past few years, investigative journalists have published several high-profile reports that have exposed corrupt acts by powerful actors. However, they face intimidation, harassment and legal threats and reprisals, including defamation suits and Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation (SLAPPs). These legal threats have a significant “chilling effect” on press freedom and drain the often-limited financial resources of journalists and news agencies. Therefore, it is important for journalists to be aware of potential legal threats, their rights, and the resources available to them when defending themselves against claims that may arise.

ILP’s Action

ILP collaborated with the Tax Justice Network Africa to convene a virtual training session for 36 journalists from across Africa to help them protect themselves against legal threats when investigating and reporting on IFFs. The session provided a comprehensive overview of the legal risks, the international and regional standards on freedom of expression and access to information, as well as the resources available to support journalists when they face, or are threatened with, legal reprisals.

Impact

The training programme equipped participants with knowledge on the legal pitfalls to avoid when reporting on IFFs in order help them to better protect themselves when carrying out their important work. Ultimately, this training will help to protect and promote press freedom as the “fourth pillar of democracy” by safeguarding journalists’ rights against legal reprisals that seek to curtail their reporting on IFFs.