Rule of Law Centre

Last week, against the backdrop of the upcoming May 2025 Parliamentary elections in Albania, and in support of election integrity, the Rule of Law Centre and International IDEA organized a rule of law clinic to strengthen prosecutors' roles in fraud investigations. The challenges in investigating electoral crime allegations stem from the peculiar nature of these crimes, the specific and often short time frame in which they occur, and their consequences, which include hampering the free will of voters, endangering the principles of vote secrecy, and exerting pressure on voters. Conducting thorough investigations, holding perpetrators accountable, and bringing them to justice can increase public trust in law enforcement institutions and the integrity of elections. ? This week, a milestone was reached when seven political parties signed a Code of Conduct for Digital Campaigning, promoting fairness, transparency, and respect in the digital sphere ahead of the May 11 elections. This activity aimed to formalize a cross-party commitment to uphold ethical standards in digital political campaigning ahead of the Albanian parliamentary elections. The initiative supports democratic integrity, transparency, and accountability in Albania's evolving digital political landscape.

Last week, the Rule of Law Centre organized the first two Rule of Law Clinics in Uzbekistan in 2025. In the first clinic, the staff of the Commissioner for Human Rights of the Republic of Uzbekistan (Ombudsman) discussed the role of the Ombud Institution as the guardian of human rights and legality. In the second Rule of Law Clinic at the Tashkent State University of Law, after presentations about the role of the Ombud Institution in Finland, Uzbekistan, and globally, there was a lively discussion among the students and staff members of the university. Topics discussed included the right to make initiatives by the Ombud Institution as well as the complaint mechanism. Most complaints to the Ombud Institution in Uzbekistan concern topics such as housing and alimony, and it seems that citizen trust in the Ombud Institution is quite high in Uzbekistan.

A new UNU-WIDER - United Nations University World Institute for Development Economics Research and Rule of Law Centre working paper is out. Margherita Bove and Patricia Justino highlight the continued challenges Mozambique faces in consolidating the rule of law, exacerbated by legacies of conflict, political instability, and uneven socioeconomic development. The findings indicate a deterioration in institutional trust over the past two decades, alongside declining voter turnout in general elections and increasing election-related and political violence. Despite reforms aimed at improving judicial autonomy and accessibility, the legal system remains affected by inefficiencies and regional disparities. https://lnkd.in/dh3hVzug

Yesterday UNODC Mozambique, in collaboration with the Rule of Law Centre, organised a launch seminar on the localisation of educational modules adapted for the Mozambican context, addressing, among other issues, public integrity and corruption. You can access the modules on the UNODC website: https://lnkd.in/etw4KpHj Today, UNODC Mozambique and the Rule of Law Centre organised a round-table discussion on the digitalisation of legal processes. Finnish experts and Mozambican authorities discussed the positives and negatives of digital transformation. Former Under-Secretary of State Kari Kiesil?inen briefed Mozambican authorities on the lessons learned from Finland’s respective processes and their history, including the preconditions required for effective eJustice, user-based planning, system interoperability, and potential complexities.

The first publication in the Rule of Law Centre's publication series is out! The question of whether enhancing the rule of law guarantees economic growth has intrigued researchers and professionals in various fields, including those suggesting legal reforms in different countries.?The receivers of the 2024 Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences, Daron Acemoglu, Simon Johnson, and James Robinson, have emphasized the importance of democracy and inclusive institutions for economic success.?While the link between the rule of law and economic growth in Western democracies has been widely acknowledged and analyzed in research, a question arises: does the same apply to Russia and Eastern Europe? In their recent paper, serving as an advance summary of the main findings for their upcoming policy paper, Jari Eloranta, Mikael Hernesniemi, and Andrei Markevich delve into this question by analyzing research on the case of Russia and Eastern Europe. https://lnkd.in/ey6iHdGY

Corruption has a detrimental effect on the rule of law, democracy, and human rights, and it hinders climate efforts and sustainable development. Therefore, anti-corruption is at the heart of our work to support developing countries in strengthening the rule of law.

University of Helsinki oikeustieteellinen tiedekunta juhlisti 11.2.2025 Oikeusvaltiokeskuksen johtaja Tuija Brax 60-vuotissyntym?p?iv?? kahvitilaisuudella. Yliopiston rehtori Sari Lindblom my?nsi Braxille hopeisen ansiomitalin monipuolisesta ty?st? yliopiston ja yhteiskunnan hyv?ksi. Mitalin luovutti tilaisuudessa vararehtori Hanna Snellman. Mitalipuheessaan vararehtori totesi Braxin toimivan ”Helsingin yliopiston vision mukaisesti ’maailman parhaaksi’. – – Emme aja [yliopistossa] ainoastaan omaa etuamme, vaan haluamme edist?? asioita my?s maamme rajojen ulkopuolella. T?st?h?n Oikeusvaltiokeskuksessa juuri on kyse, ja sit? ty?t? Tuija Brax on tehnyt aivan valtavalla asiantuntemuksella ja suurella syd?mell?.” Dekaani Johanna Niemi muisti oikeustieteellisen tiedekunnan puolesta Braxia kukkakimpulla laaja-alaisesta ty?st? juridiikan lis?ksi my?s kulttuurin ja urheilun parissa.?

The Central Asian country of Uzbekistan is implementing significant governmental, economic, and political reforms. Juho Pitk?nen, an expert from Rule of Law Centre, sheds light on the constitutional reform and the upcoming challenges. He explains how the Center assists Uzbek authorities in their efforts to create a just system for all Uzbeks by offering Finnish expertise. https://lnkd.in/d7ibbPaj

This week, we had three delegations from Uzbekistan visiting us in Helsinki! Over the course of three days, groups from the Uzbek Ombudsman’s office, Ministry of Justice and the Anti-Corruption Agency (ACA) met and shared experiences with several Finnish experts, both from academia and state bodies - not to forget the Tuomaan Markkinat Christmas Market and scenic views of the soon-to-freeze Baltic Sea. The Uzbek Ombudsman’s office delegation learned about the opportunities and risks associated with artificial intelligence and automatic decision-making from leading Finnish academics. The delegation also received a warm welcome at the Parliamentary Ombudsman’s office from Deputy Parliamentary Ombudsman Maija Sakslin, and planned to coming year with Deputy Chancellor of Justice Mikko Puumalainen. For the Ministry of Justice employees, the Rule of Law Centre organized a program around environmental impact assessment. Environmental issues are evermore present in the 21st century, both in Finland and in Uzbekistan - sharing expertise and experiences benefits everyone involved. The clinic with ACA brought together experts from Finland and the Agency to discuss risk areas and practical strategies for combating corruption, especially in local governance. The program included insightful sessions on transparency, good governance, and the role of media and civil society in anti-corruption efforts. A truly insightful and busy week to wrap up our 2024. Looking forward to another successful year of collaboration between Finland and Uzbekistan!

Last week Rule of Law Centre hosted a delegation from Ukraine in Helsinki to mark the launch of the ACCESS Ukraine initiative - a cooperation between Democracy Reporting International, Centre of Policy and Legal Reform and Rule of Law Centre. ACCESS – Ukraine initiative is funded by the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland, is aimed at strengthening Ukraine’s legal capacity to align with EU justice standards as part of its EU accession negotiations. Over the next two years, this project will provide critical technical support to the Ministry of Justice of Ukraine, specifically targeting Chapters 23 on Judiciary & Fundamental Rights and Chapter 24 on Justice, Freedom, and Security. The ACCESS Ukraine initiative represents a pivotal step towards securing Ukraine's EU future, bolstering its legal capacity, and reinforcing the rule of law in the region. A big thank you to our partners from Ukraine and the Rule of Law Centre experts from Finland for making this happen