Experience in victim standing and assets recovery UNCAC IRG, briefing for NGOs Vienna, June 23, 2016 Marta RUDA NGO “Anti-corruption Action Centre” Ukraine

AntAC’s petition in Lazarenko case the corrupted ex-official was accused of money- laundering of corrupted assets petition was logged to repatriate 2,7 million USD from US, forfeited in criminal money-laundering case AntAC’s standing is a representative of a victim, which is the country’s society use the money for anti-corruption capacity-building (research and education centre on anti-corruption)

Assets recovery and management many assets are seized and frozen in foreign countries another reason why CSOs have to be granted a standing in those cases - because national corrupted prosecution bodies might not exercise their functions high demand for their repatriation and effective further management, where CSOs are also helpful positive experience exists Kazakhstan, lessons to learn

Essential requirements for the recovered funds to be used appropriately Money should be returned and kept on separate account/foundation/endowment International unbiased control of disbursement and reporting mechanism should be put in place The assignment of the funds should be strictly limited to compensation to victims, building anti-corruption capacity,  compensation for damages cased by failing the state because of corruption to provide basic social needs for the most vulnerable social groups