Transparency has already partnered with the CNJ in a project to combat corruption

The National Council of Justice (CNJ), which is now investigating Transparency International, has already entered into a partnership with the organization to improve the performance of the Judiciary in combating corruption and money laundering.

Wanted by the news report Estadãothe CNJ stated that the investigation “runs independently, after the end of the agreement”.

The technical cooperation agreement was signed in 2017, under the administration of minister Cármen Lúcia, then president of the Federal Supreme Court (STJ) and CNJ.

The agreement provided for the NGO's support in studies, campaigns, training of judges and employees of the Judiciary Branch and in the protection of witnesses and victims of corruption.

At the time, when announcing the partnership, Cármen Lúcia stated that Transparency International “has experience that will now be coupled with the procedures adopted by the CNJ”.

The work was carried out voluntarily, that is, Transparency International was not remunerated for the assistance it provided to the National Council of Justice.

The NGO is in the CNJ's sights for having participated in the J&F leniency agreement. The investigation is carried out in secret at the National Justice Inspectorate.

The National Council of Justice is responsible for the administration and supervision of the Judiciary. One of the body's duties is to administratively investigate the conduct of judges.

Wanted by Estadão, the CNJ confirmed the existence of the investigation, but did not explain why the procedure was opened or what the hypothesis being investigated is. “The investigation process is being carried out under judicial secrecy and, therefore, there is no further information to be provided at this time.”

Transparency International is also the target of an investigation at the Federal Supreme Court. Minister Dias Toffoli ordered an investigation into whether the organization improperly appropriated resources from J&F's leniency agreement.

The NGO denies having received amounts from the agreement, directly or indirectly. The information was also denied, in 2020, by deputy attorney Samantha Dobrowolski, who coordinated the extinct commission of the Federal Public Ministry to advise on leniency and plea bargain agreements.

Transparency International in Brazil helped define guidelines for spending the portion of the agreement's fine (R$2.3 billion) reserved for investments in social projects. The recommendations range from principles that should guide the choice of projects, such as transparency, diversity and social legitimacy, to practical guidelines for preparing funding notices.

In a statement released this Tuesday, the leadership of the organization, based in Berlin, said that the NGO is a victim of “retaliation” for its work to combat corruption.

WITH THE WORD, THE CNJ

“Cooperation Agreement 2/2017, signed between the National Council of Justice and Transparency International, signed in June 2017, to implement activities to combat corruption and money laundering through the improvement of the Brazilian judicial system, has already been terminated . In this way, the current investigation promoted by the National Inspectorate of Justice runs independently, after the end of the agreement.”