Press Releases
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Sentencing of former Nigerian politician highlights role of British and US banks in money laundering Global Witness calls for a thorough investigation into HSBC, Barclays, Citibank and Abbey National (now owned by Santander) for their roles in the laundering of millions of pounds by James Ibori, former governor of Nigeria’s oil-rich Delta State16 April 2012
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Global Witness leaves Kimberley Process, calls for diamond trade to be held accountable Global Witness announces that it has left the Kimberley Process, the international certification scheme established to stop the trade in blood diamonds02 December 2011
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New leaked document reveals HSBC held $1.4bn of Libyan funds Between June and September 2010 the Libyan state oil fund deposited over $1bn with HSBC, according to a document leaked to Global Witness30 June 2011
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HSBC and Goldman Sachs held $335m of Libyan state oil money HSBC and Goldman Sachs are among the key western bankers for Colonel Gaddafi’s regime, a 2010 document leaked to Global Witness appears to show.26 May 2011
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Rush to log Liberia’s forests will jeopardise the reform process Under intense pressure from the timber industry – including many familiar faces from the past – the Forest Development Authority of Liberia has started to issue timber contracts. Yet key legislation on community rights is still in draft. International NGOs fear the rush to allow a timber trade with a poor track record of corruption and trampling on community rights raises the spectre of Liberia’s forests once again undermining stability in this fragile country22 May 2011
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Questions still remain over who controls Kazakhmys plc FTSE 100 mining firm Kazakhmys plc is still refusing to provide full information as to the identity of its beneficial owners19 May 2011
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Global Witness takes UK government to court for failing to list UK companies trading Congo conflict minerals for UN sanctions The British government is acting unlawfully in refusing to put forward eligible UK companies and individuals trading in Congolese ‘conflict minerals' for targeted UN sanctions26 July 2010
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Rights groups express outrage at state persecution of Zimbabwean activists Civil Society organisations, including Global Witness, Human Rights Watch, and Partnership Africa Canada, today condemned the state-sponsored harassment and intimidation of a Zimbabwean non-governmental organisation,02 June 2010
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Fraudulent emissions accounting threatens to undermine progress on climate Progress towards a meaningful climate deal in 2010 could be significantly undermined if developed countries succeed in their bid to avoid accountability for their emissions from forestry and bioenergy use, according to forest and climate experts from the Ecosystems Climate Alliance (ECA)27 May 2010
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Global Witness: Singapore’s statement on sand report leaves major concerns unaddressed Singapore government official response to the Global Witness report "Shifting Sand: how Singapore's demand for Cambodian sand threatens ecosystems and undermines good governance12 May 2010
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New REDD text drops targets; dilutes critical safeguards Targets for ending deforestation have been removed and safeguard language has been significantly weakened in a leaked text on Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and forest Degradation (REDD) at the UN climate talks in Copenhagen, the Ecosystems Climate Alliance revealed today12 December 2009
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Illegal Malagasy timber trade worth up to $460,000 a day02 December 2009
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International timber company DLH accused of funding Liberian war Global Witness and Sherpa, along with Greenpeace France, Amis de la Terre, and a prominent Liberian activist, have lodged a complaint before the Public Prosecutor at the Court of Nantes against Dalhoff, Larsen and Horneman (DLH)18 November 2009
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Global Witness hails commitment of veteran diamond campaigner Global Witness today paid tribute to the efforts and commitment of Ian Smillie, a founding member of the Kimberley Process05 June 2009