Media Report: Kyrgyzstan Anti-Corruption Agency Announces Findings on Foreign Adoption

The 24kg News Agency is reporting findings of the Anti-Corruption Service under the State Committee for National Security (GKNB)in Kygryzstan. These findings allege the following corrupt practices with respect to the payments of bribes to officials in the Ministry in association with intercountry adoption:

1. Payment by foreign adoption agency of $15,000 - $20,000 in bribes to secure accreditation.
2. Payment by foreign agency of up to $2000 for each referred child.
3. Payment by foreign agency of up to $1000 for each favorable approval of adoption to the court.

Kyrgyzstan’s intelligence agencies release corrupt scheme of foreign adoptions September 6, 2012 24.kg news agency , by Makhinur NIYAZOVA http://eng.24.kg/community/2012/09/06/25554.html

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Ethics, Transparency, Support
~ What All Adoptions Deserve.
http://www.pear-now.org/

UPDATE: Additional Official Arrested In Kyrgyzstan Corruption Scandal: Gulnara Derbisheva

It has been reported that the arrest of Gulnara Derbisheva, former Deputy Minister of Social Development, took place on August 31, 2012. Ms. Derbisheva has been charged for allegedly accepting bribes in her  arranging the adoptions of Kyrgyzstani children.

Kyrgyz Adoptions Official Arrested For Bribery, Radio Free Europe September 3, 2012.http://www.rferl.org/content/kyrgyzstan-adoptions-official-bribery/24696219.html

Clause of international adoption in Kyrgyzstan favours traffic in children 24.kg News Agency– Nazgul Turdubekova http://eng.24.kg/community/2012/09/03/25489.html

US News media and the US government have yet to report or comment on the situation. While seven of the 65 pipeline cases were resolved prior to the recent scandal, we understand that the remaining cases have stalled*. We are also aware that additional families began the process of adopting Kyrgyzstani children this summer after hosting them in July via Nightlight Christian Adoptions**. As we reported earlier, this agency did not have accreditation to participate in adoption from the Kyrysztani government but claimed to be partnering with a US agency that held accreditation. Both US accredited agencies, Love Basket and Christian World Adoptions had their accreditation revoked in July. We believe that it is imperative that the US Department of State, Office of Children's Issues make a public statement confirming the situation in Kyrgyzstan before more families are lured into a program with a risk of corrupt practices and/or little chance of finalizing an adoption.

*And Then There Were Seven, Help Kyrgyz 65 Blog, July 24, 2012, http://www.helpkg65.com/
**Newport Coast family looks to adopt Kyrgyzstani orphan, Daily Pilot, by Britney Barnes August 31, 2012, http://articles.dailypilot.com/2012-08-31/news/tn-dpt-0901-lemonade-20120831_1_andrey-adoption-process-host-families

Edited 9/4/12 to correct error in spelling and add labels.

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Ethics, Transparency, Support
~ What All Adoptions Deserve.
http://www.pear-now.org/

Kyrgyzstan Investigating Allegations of Bribery in Agency Accreditation

According to news sources, Kyrgyzstan’s social development minister was arrested on Wednesday July 4, 2012 under suspicion of seeking at least $15,000 in bribes from a United States adoption agency. According to the media, the US agency had paid $10,000 in bribes to become accredited to participate in intercountry adoptions from Kyrgyzstan under the Hague, and the minister was seeking additional payments.

Sources:

Kyrgyz minister arrested for seeking bribe in adoption scandal, July 6, 2012, Central Asia Business Newswire http://www.universalnewswires.com/centralasia/business/viewstory.aspx?id=12367

Kyrgyzstan: Latest Adoption Scandal Pro-Children or Just Politics?, July 18, 2012, Eurasianet http://www.eurasianet.org/node/65695

edited 7/23/12 to additional media source: 

Kyrgyzstan: Minister for social development arrested on bribery charges July 24, 2012 Ferghana News http://enews.fergananews.com/news.php?id=2316

PEAR is requesting disclosure of the US adoption agency involved in the scandal.  We will continue to follow the story and will provide updates as they become available.

Edited 4:20 pm EST 7/23/12:

List of US accredited agencies, partnering agencies and agencies seeking accreditation from Kyrgyzstan (this list is in progress and will be updated as we discover new information):

• Christian World Adoption - Accredited   source: http://www.cwa.org/kyrgyzstan-adoption.htm

• Adoption Options - Seeking accreditation  source: http://www.adoption-options.org/blog/2012/kyrgyzstan-adoption/

• Heartsent - Seeking accreditation  source: http://www.heartsent.org/international-adoption-programs/kyrgyzstan-program.html 

• International Child Foundation - Seeking accreditation. source: http://childfound.org/countries/kyrgyzstan/

• Nightlight Christian Adoptions - Not accredited, but partnering with an accredited agency. source: http://www.nightlight.org/explore-adoption-choices/international-adoption/#Kyrgyzstan

***See latest update: http://pear-now.blogspot.com/2012/07/update-kyrgyzstan-reportedly-revokes.html

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Ethics, Transparency, Support
~ What All Adoptions Deserve.
http://www.pear-now.org/

Media: Government Plans Fresh Changes In Armenian Child Adoption Rules

A leading Armenian media outlet has reported continued corruption in Armenian adoption and has fingered two US adoption Agencies, Hopscotch and Adopt Abroad as participating in corrupt practices. The information came from a governmental report released on intercountry adoption in Armenia.

Government Plans Fresh Changes In Armenian Child Adoption Rules:

The Armenian government is planning to make fresh and potentially far-reaching changes in its rules and procedures for international adoptions of children from Armenia following an RFE/RL report suggesting that they may still be riddled with corruption.

Article, in English, may be found here: http://www.azatutyun.am/content/article/24333430.html

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Ethics, Transparency, Support
~ What All Adoptions Deserve.
http://www.pear-now.org/