A practical step-by-step guide on asset recovery

International cooperation of the Russian Federation in the field of combating corruption is one of the priority thrusts of state policy in the anti-corruption arena and is implemented as part of the fulfilment of Russia's obligations under the country's international treaties.

The Russian Federation is a party to such international multilateral treaties against corruption as the United Nations Convention against Corruption of October 31, 2003; the Council of Europe Convention on Laundering, Search, Seizure and Confiscation of the Proceeds from Crime and on the Financing of Terrorism of May 16, 2005; the UN Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide of May 16, 2005; and the UN Convention on Human Rights of May 16,2005, the Council of Europe Convention on Mutual Legal Assistance in criminal matters of April 20, 1959, with the Additional Protocols thereto of March 17, 1978 and Additional Protocols thereto of November 8, 2001, and the OECD Convention on Combating the Bribery of Foreign Public Officials in International Business Transactions of November 21, 1997. Furthermore, a Convention on Legal Assistance and Legal Relations in Civil, Family and Criminal Matters, signed in Chisinau on October 7, 2002, entered into force for the Russian Federation on June 28, 2023.

Russia has made a commitment to wage a comprehensive campaign against corruption and ensure the corrupted officials are prevented from concealing and maintaining illegally obtained wealth and to see to it that such assets are uncovered and returned to the victims of corruption.

The Russian Federation has been actively working and successfully cooperates with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development and the Eurasian Group on Combating Money Laundering and Financing of Terrorism (EAG). One of Russia's key focus areas involves anti-corruption activities carried out jointly with partner the G20 states, as well as within the framework of cooperation among the member states of the Commonwealth of Independent States.

This guide has been prepared as a follow-up to decisions and agreements reached at the G8 summits at Camp David (May 18-19,2012) and Lough Erne (June 17-18,2013) and updated in line with the recommendations of the second review cycle of the Russian Federation's implementation of the UN Convention against Corruption.

The guide contains practical information on how the Russian Federation can assist foreign states in asset recovery, as well as specific steps to be followed by foreign states and their competent authorities in establishing cooperation with the relevant government bodies of the Russian Federation in order to obtain their assistance.

A practical step-by-step guide on asset recovery (download).