Honorary Consuls Are Meant to Foster Ties—But Criminals Have Infiltrated Their Ranks
Honorary consuls are meant to foster ties between countries. But criminals and others accused of exploiting the position have infiltrated their ranks, a new investigation by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists, ProPublica and 160 journalists in 46 countries found.
What is Investigative Journalism?
Investigative journalism is a form of journalism in which reporters deeply investigate a single topic of interest, such as serious crimes, racial injustice, political corruption, or corporate wrongdoing. An investigative journalist may spend months or years researching and preparing a report.
Support for Cross-Border Watchdog Journalism
The Investigative Journalism for Europe (IJ4EU) fund supports cross-border watchdog journalism in the European Union and EU candidate countries. The 2022/23 edition of the IJ4EU fund provided €1.23 million in direct grants to support investigative journalism on transnational subjects.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
The investigation found that criminals and corrupt individuals have infiltrated the diplomatic ranks of honorary consuls, exploiting their official status for personal or illicit gains across multiple countries.
Funds such as IJ4EU provide direct grants to empower cross-border investigative journalists reporting on transnational corruption, serious crimes, and systemic accountability issues.