STRASBOURG, FRANCE — Alumni For Liberty, alongside partner organizations and members of parliament, have successfully passed a Motion for Resolution in the Council of Europe. This noteworthy accomplishment underscores the organization’s commitment to advancing global freedom and safeguarding the financial rights of citizens.
The initiative, led by Jorge Jraissati (Director of Alumni For Liberty), brought to attention the critical issue of transnational financial repression, a tactic employed by authoritarian regimes to stifle dissent and silence activists in exile.
“Autocratic regimes manipulate the international financial system by disseminating disinformation campaigns and fabricating criminal allegations against activists in exile, triggering the compliance mechanisms of banks from democratic countries, leading to the financial exclusion of these activists,” Jorge declared to the French media.
Our proposal urges the Council of Europe to build effective instruments ensuring the financial rights of all citizens. It also emphasizes the importance of not imposing detrimental regulations on Bitcoin transactions, acknowledging its significance as a “bank of last resource” for countless activists at non-profit organizations operating in authoritarian contexts.
This remarkable achievement was made possible through collaborative efforts with like-minded freedom advocates operating within the Council of Europe. The motion received overwhelming support, with over twenty members of parliament endorsing it, surpassing the required support for a motion to be accepted.
Jorge Jraissati delivered a powerful testimony to members of the Council of Europe, stating: “Authoritarian regimes and illiberal governments have been weaponizing the international banking system. In autocratic countries, our activists have reported that their bank accounts were either closed or weaponized. We have also documented cases of activists in exile who have been deprived of the right to have financial services, as they are targeted with disinformation campaigns and fabricated criminal allegations, which trigger de-risking mechanisms in bank compliance. This means that requirements originally established to adhere to AML/CFT laws are harming human rights defenders even at the very heart of the European Union.”
The successful passage of this motion underscores Alumni For Liberty’s unwavering dedication to championing freedom at the highest levels. Jorge Jraissati and his organization are committed to creating tangible avenues for their members to influence policies, resolutions, and recommendations, thereby contributing to a freer and more democratic world.
For more information about Alumni for Liberty and their impactful initiatives, please visit AFLiberty.org
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About Alumni for Liberty:
Alumni For Liberty (AFL) is an international network of young leaders committed to advancing freedom in all aspects of society. It has over 10,000 members from 139 countries. Members include elected officials, journalists, academics, think tank directors, businesspeople, presidents of political organizations, and other leaders committed to forming a truly global pro-liberty coalition.
