Hybrid seminar: “The role and protection of whistleblowers in the fight against corruption”

Details: Published: August 4, 2026

Welcome address to the participants by Mr Azamat Ergashev, Head of the Compliance Department at the Anti-Corruption Agency of the Republic of Uzbekistan (second from the right).

Uzbekistan

What role do whistleblowers play in preventing cases of corruption? Why is it important to protect whistleblowers? And what must the state do to ensure that such an early-warning system functions effectively?

These questions – which are also highly relevant in Uzbekistan – were addressed by participants at the hybrid seminar on the role and protection of whistleblowers in the fight against corruption on 30 July 2026. The IRZ thus continued its cooperation with the Anti-Corruption Agency, which is responsible for developing and coordinating programmes to combat and prevent corruption in Uzbekistan.

Whistleblowers play a vital role in the fight against corruption. Without comprehensive protection against dismissal, harassment or criminal prosecution, many cases of malpractice would remain hidden. Protective mechanisms are therefore essential in the fight against corruption.

The German experts, Prof. Dr Frank Zimmermann (University of Freiburg) and Prof. Dr Matthias Meißner (Düsseldorf University of Applied Sciences), provided the Uzbek participants with knowledge on the practical and legally compliant implementation of internal reporting procedures, with a focus on the German Whistleblower Protection Act.

This professional exchange not only strengthened the expertise of the Anti-Corruption Agency but also provided impetus for the development of standardised requirements for reporting channels within the framework of compliance and anti-corruption prevention systems in state authorities and organisations in Uzbekistan. Discussions also covered liability for the deliberate disclosure of a whistleblower’s anonymity and confidentiality, as there are plans to incorporate this offence into Uzbek legislation.

There was a particularly lively discussion of Germany’s experiences with the relatively new Whistleblower Protection Act (HinSchG, in force since 2023): in practice, striking a balance between various interests, ensuring comprehensive confidentiality and providing clear information about the new law – which can help lower the barriers to reporting for whistleblowers – remain challenging.