According to news sources, Kyrgyzstan’s social development minister was arrested on Wednesday July 4, 2012 under suspicion of seeking at least $15,000 in bribes from a United States adoption agency. According to the media, the US agency had paid $10,000 in bribes to become accredited to participate in intercountry adoptions from Kyrgyzstan under the Hague, and the minister was seeking additional payments.
Sources:
Kyrgyz minister arrested for seeking bribe in adoption scandal, July 6, 2012, Central Asia Business Newswire http://www.universalnewswires.com/centralasia/business/viewstory.aspx?id=12367
Kyrgyzstan: Latest Adoption Scandal Pro-Children or Just Politics?, July 18, 2012, Eurasianet http://www.eurasianet.org/node/65695
edited 7/23/12 to additional media source:
Kyrgyzstan: Minister for social development arrested on bribery charges July 24, 2012 Ferghana News http://enews.fergananews.com/news.php?id=2316
PEAR is requesting disclosure of the US adoption agency involved in the scandal. We will continue to follow the story and will provide updates as they become available.
Edited 4:20 pm EST 7/23/12:
List of US accredited agencies, partnering agencies and agencies seeking accreditation from Kyrgyzstan (this list is in progress and will be updated as we discover new information):
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Christian World Adoption – Accredited source: http://www.cwa.org/kyrgyzstan-adoption.htm
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Adoption Options – Seeking accreditation source: http://www.adoption-options.org/blog/2012/kyrgyzstan-adoption/
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Heartsent – Seeking accreditation source: http://www.heartsent.org/international-adoption-programs/kyrgyzstan-program.html
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International Child Foundation – Seeking accreditation. source: http://childfound.org/countries/kyrgyzstan/
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Nightlight Christian Adoptions – Not accredited, but partnering with an accredited agency. source: http://www.nightlight.org/explore-adoption-choices/international-adoption/#Kyrgyzstan
***See latest update: http://pear-now.blogspot.com/2012/07/update-kyrgyzstan-reportedly-revokes.html
Ethics, Transparency, Support
~ What All Adoptions Deserve.
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People for Ethical Adoption Reform
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