Members of European Parliament Call for Investigation into the ‘Azerbaijani Laundromat’

BRUSSELS—The recent “Azerbaijani Laundromat” revelations should be investigated and the “Magnitsky” sanctions list adopted by the EU, Members of European Parliament (MEPs) urged on Sept. 15. MEPs condemn the recent revelations, "attempts by Azerbaijan and other autocratic regimes in third countries to influence European decision-makers through illicit means," in a resolution approved by 578 votes to 19, with 68 abstentions. They also called for the European Parliament to investigate and adopt robust measures to prevent such corruption re-occurring. Corruption is "one of the most neglected causes of human rights violations" and the European Union should foster international cooperation to fight it, urged the MEPs. They called on the EU to ensure that existing anti-corruption conventions are enforced; add an anti-corruption clause to its deals with non-EU countries; monitor EU-funded projects closely and permanently, in cooperation with local anti-corruption agencies; as a last resort, use sanctions or suspend deals in cases of systemic corruption leading to serious human rights breaches; support and protect independent media, civil society organizations, and whistleblowers who expose corruption cases despite risks of reprisals; bring the “Magnitsky” sanctions list against the 32 Russian state officials responsible for the death of Russian whistleblower Sergei Magnitsky to the Council as soon as possible for its adoption, and impose targeted sanctions against these officials. “With Lux Leaks, Panama Leaks, Russia and Azerbaijan Laundromats, we realize that corruption stretches far across state borders, and has dramatic repercussions on policy decisions,” said Lithuanian politician and MEP Petras Auštrevičius. “Through this report, we call for the highest possible ethical and transparency standards to be upheld in international and national bodies and for the EU to set up a legal framework to deter any type of corruption and fraud.” An in-depth investigation led by the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP) revealed on Sept. 5 that Azerbaijan’s ruling elite operated a secret $2.9 billion scheme to pay European decision-makers, purchase luxury goods, and launder funds through a network of British companies. Azerbaijan’s leadership made more than 16,000 covert payments between 2012 and 2014, according to the information presented. Some of the money was given to lawmakers, politicians, and journalists as part of an international lobbying mission to deflect criticism of Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and to portray Azerbaijan in a positive light. The investigation also revealed that that several bank transfers—in excess of $7 million—were made to a Budapest bank account around the time the Hungarian government extradited Azerbaijani ax-murderer Ramil Safarov to Azerbaijan. As part of the ongoing investigation into the “Azerbaijani Laundromat,” Hungarian investigative journalism NGO Átlátszó.hu revealed that the Budapest bank account belonged to an offshore company owned by the son of an influential Azerbaijani politician. According to that report, more than $7 million was transferred to the account in 2012 right around the time the Hungarian government struck its deal with Azerbaijani authorities for Safarov’s extradition. The offshore company has since been closed. Ramil Safarov, the Azerbaijani army officer who was serving a life sentence in Hungary for axing to death Armenian Lt. Gurgen Margaryan, was extradited to Azerbaijan on Aug. 31 and pardoned by Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev.