A new guide to non-conviction based forfeiture published by GAFILAT, the Latin American body of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) sets out good practices for this powerful but under-used form of asset recovery legislation. It also emphasises the need for laws to align with both domestic constitutions and international human rights standards.
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Latin America’s model law on non-conviction based forfeiture of illicit assets turns 10 – what now?
A model law on non-conviction based forfeiture (NCBF), drafted 10 years ago by UNODC to support countries in Latin America in their efforts to recover stolen assets, will be updated following four days of intense discussions among practitioners and asset recovery experts from across the continent.
Twenty-five practitioners from 12 countries gathered online on 29 June for the first virtual meeting of the new Knowledge Community on Asset Recovery in Latin America.
An initiative of the Basel Institute’s International Centre for Asset Recovery, the regional Knowledge Community provides a collaborative space for interaction between leading practitioners in the field of asset recovery and international judicial cooperation in criminal matters.
For almost a century, the Dominican Republic has faced considerable governance and corruption challenges. High levels of corruption were present long time ago, and still prevail today, even if their characteristics and manifestations have changed. Rule of law has been weak for a long time, and generally government effectiveness has not been high. By contrast, the country has performed better in terms of progress on fundamental political and civil liberties, and thus relatively speaking it rates satisfactorily in terms of voice and accountability.