Ex-leader Mali leaders Moctar Ouane and Bah Ndaw are allegedly detained without cause. The West Africa court of justice of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) is now demanding answers. [1]

In May 2021, Qatar discovered that a Kenyan security guard, Malcolm Bidali, was publishing blogs about migrant work conditions in Qatar. He was held in solitary confinement for three weeks with no access to legal representation and was later released in June. After his release, Qatar charged him with stealing foreign money and spreading disinformation. [1]

On August 24, 2021, the United States Department of Justice announced it will start returning forfeited funds to FIFA, the world organizing body of soccer; CONCACAF, the confederation responsible for soccer governance in North and Central America, among other regions; CONMEBOL, the confederation responsible for soccer governance in South America; and various constituent national soccer federations responsible for soccer governance in South America; and various constituent national soccer federations (collectively, the “Victims”).  The DOJ granted a joint petition for remission filed by the Victims, recognizing losses and granting remission up to a total of more than $201 million.  The DOJ has approved $32.3 million in forfeited funds for an initial distribution.  The amounts approved for remission have been seized and have been or are expected to be forfeited to the U.S. in the Eastern District of New York as part of the government’s investigation and prosecution in international soccer.[1]

In August 2021, U.S. indictments against an international enterprise based in Florida, a man in southern California, and collaboration by countries with Interpol’s International Child Sexual Exploitation (ICSE) database has led to the arrest by Guatemalan law enforcement of a suspected prolific child sexual abuser.

On August 20, 2021, the United Kingdom imposed sanctions on seven Russian agents for their involvement in poisoning Alexei Navalny, a Russian political oppositionist and anti-corruption figure. These sanctions come on the anniversary of Navalny’s poisoning on August 20, 2020. He was poisoned with a Novichok nerve agent that left him hospitalized and in critical condition. [1]

                On June 2 and 3, 2021, the Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL) announced that, due to an unprecedented financial crisis, it would not be able to conclude the judicial proceedings in the two cases currently before the Tribunal and would not be able to operate beyond July 2021.  The Tribunal also suspended all decisions on filings presently before it and any future filings until further notice.[1]

In 2020, allegations of money laundering and fraud were brought against Bridgette Motsepe-Radebe, a South African businesswoman,. Motsepe-Radebe is the wife of former justice minister, Jeff Radebe and a sister-in-law to the South African President, Cyril Ramphosa.[1] The allegations against Motsepe-Radebe stem from the 2019 “Butterfly” spy case in which former intelligence officer, Welheminah Maswabi, was accused of funneling  money from the Botswana government to finance terrorism.[2] Motsepe-Radebe and Maswabi have been linked to the alleged $10.1 billion stolen from Botswana through South African bank accounts.[3] According to the prosecution, Motsepe-Radebe has been “identified as a co-signatory of at least two bank accounts holding some of the more than $10 billion allegedly stolen from the Botswana government to finance a ‘coup’ before the national election in this country.”[4] Motsepe-Radebe has also been accused of aiding Botswana’s former president, Ian Khama, in attempting to dislodge the standing president, Mokgweetsi Masisi.[5] Motsepe-Radebe has repeatedly denied all allegations.[6]

On August 11, 2021, Britain’s High Court allowed the United States government to expand the bases for appealing a district court decision to deny extradition of WikiLeaks found Julian Assange, a 50 -year-old Australian national, on hacking into military databases and disclosing classified information.[1]

On June 30, 2012, the European Committee on Crime Problems (CDPC)  published its decisions following its 79th Plenary Session on  June 28-30, 2021, which occurred remotely due to the pandemic.[1]