RISE Project

RISE Project is a Romanian non-profit journalism^[1] organization founded in early 2012 by a group of investigative journalists, activists, programmers and graphic designers.

RISE Project uses research techniques and technology to generate complex investigative reporting on local and crossborder organized crime and corruption networks. It produces investigative articles and visual databases and it develops research and data visualization tools such as the Visual Investigative Scenarios (VIS)^[2] platform.

RISE Project is a member of the regional network Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP) and of the Global Investigative Journalism Network.^[3]

Investigations

In 2012 and 2013, RISE exposed several national and international cases of organized crime and corruption with serious social, economic and political impact, such as:

• identified secret businesses and assets of high-rank Romanian politicians (The Businesses of the Power and of the Opposition)^[4]
• revealed financial connections between prominent Church officials and organized crime (The Affairs of the Church)^[5]
• untangled networks of hidden money transactions between large international corporations and public authorities in Romania (The Ericsson Case)^[6][7]
• worked on large tax evasion cases involving cross-border food import-export structures (The Market Sultans)^[8] and The Horse Meat Affair^[9]
• traced Egypt's public money hidden in Romania and abroad by Hosni Mubarak and his associates (Mubarak's Money Hidden in Romania)^[10] and that of Syria's dictator Bashar Al Assad (Bashar's Clan Runs Business in Romania^[11]
• uncovered and prevented fraud in Romania and Moldova (The Bingo Fraud Exported to Moldova)^[12]
• disclosed agreements and corruption cases behind a major gold exploitation project in Romania (The Rosia Montana Affair)^[13]
• an assassination attempt on a Russian banker which led the Moldovan government to ban the pro-Russian political party Patria from the 2014 elections and the party's leader to flee the country (investigation made along with colleagues from RISE Moldova.^[14][15]

RISE Project investigations have been quoted in local^{[16][17][18][19]} and international media,^{[20][21][22][23]} and some of its members are winners of prestigious international journalism awards such as: the Daniel Pearl Award for Outstanding International Investigative Reporting (part of an OCCRP project),^[24][25][26] The Global Shining Light Award,^[27][28] and Investigative Reporters and Editors Tom Renner Award for crime reporting.^[29]

References

1. "American Journalism Review". Ajrarchive.org. Retrieved 2015-05-01.
2. "VIS. Visual Investigative Scenarios platform: Pages". Vis.occrp.org. Retrieved 2015-05-01.
3. "Global Investigative Journalism Network". Gijn.org. Retrieved 2015-05-01.
4. "Afacerile Puterii Si Ale Opozitiei :Rise Project". Riseproject.ro. Retrieved 2015-05-01.
5. "Afacerile Bisericii :Rise Project". Riseproject.ro. 2012-11-27. Retrieved 2015-05-01.
6. "CAZUL "ERICSSON" :Rise Project". Riseproject.ro. Retrieved 2015-05-01.
7. "Executive Alleges Bribery at Ericsson". Reportingproject.net. 2013-03-05. Retrieved 2015-05-01.
8. "SULTANII PIEȚELOR :Rise Project". Riseproject.ro. Retrieved 2015-05-01.
9. "Interesele Din Spatele Industriei Alimentare :Rise Project". Riseproject.ro. Retrieved 2015-05-01.
10. "Banii Egiptului, ascunsi in Romania :Rise Project". Riseproject.ro. 2012-01-05. Retrieved 2015-05-01.
11. "Clanul lui Bashar Al-Assad face afaceri la Bucuresti :Rise Project". Riseproject.ro. 2012-05-16. Retrieved 2015-05-01.
12. "Teapa "Bingo", exportata in Republica Moldova :Rise Project". Riseproject.ro. 2012-06-13. Retrieved 2015-05-01.
13. "Documentele confidențiale ale afacerii Roșia Montană :Rise Project". Riseproject.ro. Retrieved 2015-05-01.
14. "Asasin-in-lege". Rise.md. 2014-11-28. Retrieved 2015-05-01.
15. "Moldova: Pro-Russia Party Banned From Elections After OCCRP Expose". Reportingproject.net. 2014-11-28. Retrieved 2015-05-01.
16. "RISE Project: Documentele confidentiale ale afacerii Rosia Montana - Esential". HotNews.ro. 2013-08-27. Retrieved 2015-05-01.
17. "Fostul şef al Ericsson România admite că a plătit politicieni pentru a obţine contracte | Stiriletvr.ro - Site-ul de stiri al TVR". Stiri.tvr.ro. Retrieved 2015-05-01.
18. "RISE PROJECT: Cei care vor remodela Capitala". Adevarul.ro. Retrieved 2015-05-01.
19. "Fostul sef al Ericsson Romania recunoaste ca a platit politicieni". Wall-street.ro. 2012-11-07. Retrieved 2015-05-01.
20. "Horsemeat scandal: Dutch meat trader could be central figure | UK news". Theguardian.com. Retrieved 2015-05-01.
21. Luke Harding. "Moldovan connection: on trail of alleged hitman suspected in London hit | World news". Theguardian.com. Retrieved 2015-05-01.
22. "Dubiose syrische Geschäfte in Wien". YouTube.com. 2012-11-25. Retrieved 2015-05-01.
23. Marinas, Radu (2012-11-02). "INSIGHT-In Syrian sanctions, some gains but much uncertainty". Reuters.com. Retrieved 2015-05-01.
24. "Offshore Crime, Inc". Reportingproject.net. Retrieved 2015-05-01.
25. "OCCRP Wins Daniel Pearl Global Investigative Journalism Award - Hetq - News, Articles, Investigations". Hetq.am. Retrieved 2015-05-01.
26. "Daniel Pearl Awards | International Consortium of Investigative Journalists". Icij.org. 2012-02-18. Retrieved 2015-05-01.
27. "Paul Cristian Radu | International Consortium of Investigative Journalists". Icij.org. Retrieved 2015-05-01.
28. "Awards | Global Investigative Journalism Network". Gijn.org. Retrieved 2015-05-01.
29. Ricchiardi, Sherry. "American Journalism Review". Ajrarchive.org. Retrieved 2015-05-01.

External links

• Official website