Following today’s publication of findings from the
analysis of millions of leaked documents about offshore companies and
tax havens, Reporters Without Borders hails the journalistic
investigation of leaked data troves and the major progress it represents
in the emergence of a journalism capable of confronting powerful hidden
private sector interests
“The conjunction of whistle-blowers and investigative
journalists acting as democracy watchdogs makes it possible to challenge
a skilful network of secrecy with often planetary ramifications,”
Reporters Without Borders secretary-general Christophe Deloire said.
“These new transparency tools will help to combat the embezzlement of
public funds, the fraudulent acquisition of fortunes and corruption.”
Just as Reporters Without Borders saw the positive
effects that the WikiLeaks revelations had on the fight against
repressive regimes, so it now welcomes the work that has been carried
out by the Washington-based International Consortium of Investigative
Journalists (ICIJ) with funding from the Centre for Public Integrity.
The findings published today by 38 news organizations
around the world were based on 15 months of research and analysis of
more than 2.5 millions leaked files. The work was led by the ICIJ’s
network of investigative journalists and mobilized more than 86
journalists in 46 countries.
The Swiss daily Le Matin said the leaked data,
which includes emails, contracts, passport photos and accounts, contains
information about more than 122,000 offshore companies and trusts
linked to at least 130,000 people in 140 countries.
