Illicit assets recovery: complex issue with complex measures
Illicit asset recovery is the key to the global fight against corruption, given the staggering amount of siphoned-off wealth to corrupt practices (estimated in the trillions of US dollars). The study here examines the complex process and procedure of tracing and recovering assets gained illegally, on the basis of international judicial mechanisms and best practices. By taking on a systematic qualitative approach, the research compares relevant international treaties such as the United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC, 2003, October 31) in particular, alongside domestic legislation and expert reports in an effort to identify how looted property is obscured and how it is recovered. The paper reports a range of methods of transferring and concealing assets unlawfully to overseas locations, such as offshore banking, shell companies, investment in overseas real estate, cryptocurrency, and trade-based-money laundering. The paper concludes that effective asset recovery relies upon effective detection mechanisms (e.g. financial intelligence units using “red flag” triggers) and effective mechanisms for cooperation across borders. Informal arrangements (e.g. the Egmont Group of Financial Intelligence Units and Asset Recovery Inter-Agency Networks) are no less critical than formal mutual legal assistance treaties in tracing, freezing, confiscating, and repatriating assets. High-profile cases (like Malaysia's 1MDB or Brazil's “Car Wash” scandals) show that collaborative legal and diplomatic effort has the power to reclaim billions in stolen assets. Overall, asset-recovery of ill-obtained assets is a complex undertaking that requires collaborative global effort, greater transparency (such as registers of beneficial ownership), and continued strengthening of anti-corruption frameworks. Policy advice is that governments need to make legal assets-recovery instruments stronger and get involved in active international cooperation, and further research is also needed in the form of refining asset-tracing techniques and cooperation mechanisms.
illicit asset recovery; international cooperation; asset tracing; anti-corruption; money laundering
Copyright (c) 2026 Alimardon Ahmadov (Author) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
The nexus between money laundering and corruption
This article explores the intertwined dynamics of money laundering and corruption, examining how these two forms of financial crime are not only related but often mutually reinforcing. The study addresses a critical gap in the literature by analyzing the relationship between laundering mechanisms and corrupt practices within a transnational context, where illicit financial flows often cross borders and exploit systemic regulatory weaknesses. The research aims to deepen understanding of how laundering serves as both a consequence and enabler of corruption, undermining governance, transparency, and the rule of law. The findings reveal that money laundering and corruption operate in a feedback loop: illicit wealth derived from corruption is laundered through complex financial systems, while the laundering process itself relies on corrupt networks to avoid detection and enforcement. In examining these cases, the article also identifies international best practices that have proven effective in disrupting this cycle, such as beneficial ownership transparency, cross-border data sharing, and targeted enforcement. The conclusions emphasize that effective anti-money laundering (AML) efforts must be integrated with broader anti-corruption strategies to be impactful. The study offers insights for both policymakers and scholars, underscoring the need for more coordinated global responses and recommending further empirical research into emerging laundering methods, including those involving digital finance and offshore service providers.
Copyright (c) 2026 Richard Joyce (Author) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Academic governance under pressure: corruption and bureaucracy in Uzbekistan’s higher education system
Today’s issues (corruption and bureaucratic inefficiency) remain enduring obstacles to integrity and progress within global higher education systems. This study examines their impact on scientific research and academic development in Uzbekistan, comparing national practices with international experiences in Finland, Japan, and South Korea. Through methodological research, the research identifies key structural, legal, and socio-economic factors that perpetuate academic corruption and administrative stagnation. It also evaluates Uzbekistan’s recent reforms aimed at improving transparency, reducing bureaucratic barriers, and aligning governance frameworks with international standards. The findings reveal that while bureaucratic rigidity delays research processes and suppresses innovation, corruption undermines academic integrity by fostering biased evaluations, misallocation of funds, and institutional mistrust. Drawing upon effective anti-corruption models from Finland, Japan, and South Korea, the paper proposes strategies for strengthening academic integrity in Uzbekistan through legal reform, institutional restructuring, and enhanced global cooperation. The study contributes to scholarly debates on academic governance and provides practical insights for policymakers and legal experts seeking to promote transparency and efficiency in higher education.
Copyright (c) 2026 Shodiyor Shayzakov (Author) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Illicit remittances as a component of illicit financial flows: a new estimation method and application in Kyrgyzstan
Illicit financial flows (IFFs) undermine development by diverting resources away from productive investment and public revenue systems. While most IFF estimation methods focus on trade misinvoicing and corporate tax evasion, the role of individuals, particularly through remittances, remains underexplored. This paper introduces the first applied estimation model for assessing the illicit component of personal remittance flows in Central Asia, using the Kyrgyz Republic as a case study. In migration-dependent economies, large remittance volumes may partially originate from informal or undeclared labor, which is often untaxed and transferred through informal channels. The proposed method compares migrant income and consumption data with reported remittance volumes, adjusting for the use of informal money transfer systems (IMTS). Applied to Kyrgyzstan, where over 95% of remittances originate from the Russian Federation, the model covers the period of 2014 - 2023. Results show that approximately USD 11.8 billion of total remittance inflows during this period may have been illicit in origin. These flows represent a persistent, large-scale IFF pattern, with inward flows for the source economy and outward flows for the host. The findings challenge the conventional view of remittances as purely beneficial, showing that what strengthens the source economy can undermine the sustainable development of the host economy, mainly when driven by informal labor and unregulated transfers, highlighting the need for coordinated policy measures to mitigate these risks. This method expands the existing IFF estimation toolkit by introducing a replicable framework that captures flows from individuals, not just firms or trade. It holds significant relevance for countries seeking to improve resource mobilization, tax transparency, and compliance with SDG target 16.4.1.
Illicit financial flows (IFFs); remittances; labour migration; money transfers; informal money transfers; hawala.
Copyright (c) 2026 Anastasia Maga, Chingiz Bekenov https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Academic integrity as an element of anti-corruption policy in higher education: comparative insights from Uzbekistan and Finland
Abstract Academic integrity is a core pillar of anti-corruption policy in higher education governance. Academic misconduct including plagiarism, bribery in admissions and grading, falsification of research results, and the abuse of administrative authority — severely undermines institutional credibility and erodes public trust in the educational system. This study provides a comprehensive comparative analysis of the mechanisms ensuring academic integrity in Uzbekistan and Finland. Using a robust mixed-methods approach, the research integrates comparative legal analysis, systematic document review, and primary empirical data derived from a survey of 650 participants, including students and faculty members, alongside expert interviews and institutional statistics. The study evaluates regulatory frameworks, compliance mechanisms, digital governance tools, and accountability systems through the theoretical lenses of institutional economics and alignment theory. Findings indicate that Uzbekistan has implemented substantial top-down reforms characterized by centralized monitoring and the rapid deployment of digital platforms, specifically the Higher Education Management Information System (HEMIS). However, the analysis reveals that enforcement remains predominantly compliance-driven, suggesting that technical solutions must be accompanied by stronger institutional autonomy and a deeply internalized ethical culture. In contrast, the Finnish model emphasizes high levels of institutional autonomy and trust-based accountability, supported by independent external audits from the Finnish Education Evaluation Centre (FINEEC) and stringent research integrity standards established by the Finnish National Board on Research Integrity (TENK). The study proposes an original hybrid governance model that integrates sophisticated digital compliance tools with an ethics-based institutional culture. These results contribute significantly to anti-corruption governance theory and provide actionable practical recommendations for policymakers and university administrators. The proposed framework is particularly applicable in reform-oriented higher education systems within transitional post-Soviet contexts, aiming to balance state oversight with institutional integrity.
Keywords: academic integrity; anti-corruption governance; higher education; Uzbekistan; Finland; HEMIS; hybrid governance; institutional ethics.
Copyright (c) 2026 Gulbakhor Rasulova https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Measuring corruption in the construction sector in Uzbekistan: exploring links and correlations between national assessment tools and statistical data
This article focuses on analyzing the relationship between national mechanisms for assessing the effectiveness of anti-corruption efforts and judicial-legal statistics on corruption-related offenses in the construction sector of the Republic of Uzbekistan. Amid the active implementation of such instruments as performance rating systems, the electronic register of corruption-prone relations, and the openness index, there arises a need to verify their effectiveness through comparison with current law enforcement data. The aim of the study is to identify the existence and nature of correlations between formalized indicators of anti-corruption activity and statistical indicators reflecting the number of criminal cases related to corruption in the construction sector, as recorded in judicial-legal statistics. The empirical basis of the study includes data from the Anti-Corruption Agency, the General Prosecutor’s Office, the Supreme Court of the Republic of Uzbekistan, as well as provisions of national legislation and international methodological sources. Methodologically, the work relies on legal, comparative-analytical, and descriptive statistical methods with elements of content analysis. The results of the analysis do not confirm the existence of a stable direct correlation between the increase in formalized assessment indicators and a decrease in the level of corruption in the construction sector. In some cases, a simultaneous improvement in formal indicators and an increase in the number of detected criminal cases, convicted individuals, and the total amount of damage is observed. This dynamic may reflect both the intensification of law enforcement and oversight activities, and the limitations of existing approaches to measuring anti-corruption effectiveness. It highlights the need for a comprehensive reassessment of the applied evaluation tools, taking into account their ability to adequately reflect real changes in the level of corruption, rather than solely institutional efforts to contain it. The study concludes that existing assessment models should be revised in favor of integrated solutions combining quantitative and qualitative indicators, with an emphasis on behavioral, institutional, and law enforcement aspects.
anti-corruption activity; assessment mechanisms; measurement tools; offense statistics; openness index; performance rating; corruption risk register
Copyright (c) 2026 Zamira Borsieva, Bogdan Yumatov https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
The use of AI for the anti-corruption assessment of legislation
Some types of defficiences in legal acts can facilitate the commission of corruption criminal offences or can lead to other infringements of anti-corruption legislation. In this regard, many states have already established mechanisms for detection of shortcomings in normative legal acts and drafts normative legal acts that can be considered as corruption-prone factors. The development of general-purpose artificial intelligence systems raises the question of whether such systems can be used to improve the efficiency of anti-corruption expertise of legislation. The present article is aimed at studying the capabilities of general-purpose artificial intelligence systems to help experts in corruption-prone factors detection and in conducting some other tasks related to anti-corruption examination of legal texts. In order to determin the possibilities to use artificial intelligence system for anti-corruption experise purposes the expert opinions published in the Internet where compared with the results obtained via artificial intelligence systems. The study confirmed several results of previous studies regarding the use of artificial intelligence for anti-corruption expertise. In addition, results were obtained confirming that artificial intelligence systems can be used to verify expert opinions related to separate provisions of normative legal acts, as well as related to entire texts of normative legal acts, and that artificial intelligence can be used to verify the text of expert opinions. Further research may also be conducted in the field related to the use of prompt engeneering for improvement of the output of artificial intelligence systems when they are used for anti-corruption expertise of the legislation.
anti-corruption expertise of legislation; anti-corruption proofing of legislation; discretionary power; normative legal act; corruption; corruption-prone factor
Copyright (c) 2026 Pavel Sascheko (Author) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Anti-corruption clauses in business contracts
The increasingly widespread use of anti-corruption clauses in business contracts makes it necessary to analyze such activities and the related issues, since this topic is not given sufficient attention in legal science. The paper discusses approaches adopted in practical activities, analyzes regulations, and examines legal sources and certain statistical data.The complex reasons why companies include anti-corruption clauses in their contracts are being studied. An analysis of the principle of good faith in civil relations was conducted and the expectations that the parties place on anti-corruption clauses were discussed. As a result, it has been established that there is no single approach to formulating anti-corruption clauses, and that the methods of “integrating” them into the parties' contractual documentation also differ (a separate clause in the contract, an appendix to the contract, a supplementary agreement to the contract, or a separate contract is used). At the same time, it has been determined that including anti-corruption clauses in contracts is good business practice, which should be implemented on the basis of an analysis of the other party's behavior (due diligence) and adapted to the specific conditions of the interaction. Specific examples demonstrate certain problems associated with overly broad or ambiguous wording of anti-corruption clauses. Cross-border agreements highlight the need to specify prohibited actions in detail, ensure adequate translation, and take local regulations into account. Particular attention should be paid to the legal consequences of violating such provisions, as there is a risk, among other things, of their improper use for the formal filing of claims for termination of the contract.
corruption; clause; contract; anti-corruption clause; bona fide; business
Copyright (c) 2026 Nadzeya Shakel (Author) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Fundamental legal principles for anti-corruption artificial intelligence in the public sector
This article analyzes the transformative potential of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies in preventing corruption in the public sector. The research focuses on systematizing the key principles that should underpin the ethical and effective implementation of AI technologies in anti-corruption practices. The author emphasizes that AI serves as an effective tool, complementing human analysis and institutional mechanisms in preventing corruption. This assertion was emphasized at the recent Conference of the States Parties to the UN Convention against Corruption, the main outcome of which was a call to use AI technologies to strengthen international law enforcement cooperation in the fight against transborder corruption and to improve the accuracy, effectiveness, and objectivity of national efforts to assess corruption risks, as well as to realize the potential of AI and manage its risks, including through strengthened regulation and human oversight. The research is based on a comparative analysis of key principles for the use of AI technologies developed and proposed to the global community at the national level in a number of countries (e.g., the Vatican, China, the United States, and Singapore) and at the international level by organizations such as UNESCO, the Council of Europe, the European Parliament, and the OECD. The international community has supplemented the author's proposed principles based on his own research, which identified the most important legal principles for implementing AI technologies in the public sector. The research identified common principles that have proven effective: prioritizing data quality and reliability; a human-centered approach that complements, rather than replaces, expert analysis; transparency and explainability of AI algorithms to ensure trust and accountability; respect for human rights and protection of privacy; and the need to adapt legislation and develop digital competencies in the public sector. Implementing AI based on these principles can significantly strengthen preventive anti-corruption controls.
Copyright (c) 2026 Jaroslavs Strelcenoks https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Anti-corruption education: from awareness-raising to the transformation of anti-corruption culture
This article examines the evolution of anti-corruption education and its role in shaping an ethical governance culture in the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS). Special attention is given to the institutional strategies of academies, universities, and digital platforms, with a focus on the experience of the Law Enforcement Academy of the Republic of Uzbekistan. Through comparative analysis, the study identifies effective practices that promote anti-corruption thinking and foster long-term institutional transformation. The research reveals that traditional awareness-raising efforts are insufficient on their own. Instead, sustainable progress requires a shift toward value-oriented educational approaches that integrate practical simulations, ethical reasoning, and civic engagement. Furthermore, the article stresses the importance of ongoing monitoring, evaluation mechanisms, and regional cooperation in strengthening the impact of anti-corruption training. The findings support the idea that education should not only inform but also empower individuals to uphold integrity and resist informal practices within public administration and beyond.
Copyright (c) 2026 Temur Safarov, Prof.Kolenko https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0