Belarus ratifies protocol to Criminal Law Convention on Corruption

        Belarusian MPs ratified an additional protocol to the Criminal Law Convention on Corruption.
Prosecutor General Alexander Konyuk said presenting the document that Belarus joined the Council of Europe’s Criminal Law Convention on Corruption (adopted on 27 January 1999) on 1 March 2008. The Convention spells out clear requirements for every member state. In particular, the state signatories are obliged to adopt laws to incriminate corruption offences such as active and passive bribery of public officials, bribery in the private sector as well as officials of international organizations, judges, trading in influence, money laundering of proceeds from corruption offences, etc.
        The reason for a heightened attention to this type of activity is active development of economic relations when the role of arbitration courts increases. This is attested to by the law on arbitration courts adopted by Belarus in 2011. Besides, in case Belarus decides on introducing the institute of jurors, the accession to the additional protocol will require amendments to the country’s legislation, in particular criminal and criminal procedure laws.