SEYCHELLES REALITY

  Russian political influence campaigns have posed a problem for Western democracies since before the modern state of Russia was created. Previously referred to as “ active measures ,” the essence of insidious Russian political influence campaigns has not changed. These   include   disinformation aimed at dividing populations, exploiting minority populations to sow hatred, and reconstructing reality to legitimize its ideology, all promoted through front organizations and shell companies. Such campaigns have  played a prominent role  in Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The most famous of Russian disinformation campaigns was the Russian troll farm which supported the Kremlin’s annexation of Crimea and its war in the Donbas in 2014. Operated through its Internet Research Agency, stories were  spread  about concocted issues such as war crimes and even zombie attacks. Russian disinformation has also been more overt at times, with official diplomatic accounts...

  By  Jessica Reed The controversial  charges  brought against nine prominent Seychellois in late 2021 for purportedly misappropriating USD 50 million in grants from the UAE has taken surprising recent turns, with new allegations of government wrong-doing, human rights abuses, and violations of due process. Initiated by President Ramkalawan against a who’s who of the ancien regime, including the ex-President’s wife, son, closest political, military and business advisors, and even the candidate set to challenge Ramkalawan in the next presidential elections, the case has languished under the weight of weak evidence and prosecutorial misconduct.                                                                      Wavel Ramkalawan  In recent days, according to sources close to the investigation...

  Today is the 50th anniversary of the murder of Maxwell Confait, 26, at his home in Doggett Road Catford, writes local historian Julie Robinson. The case became a classic cause celebre and miscarriage of justice. It also led to the biggest shake up in policing in British history. Mr Confait was a bi-racial, gay man or trans woman from the Seychelles, who dressed in women’s clothes and preferred to be called Michelle. His body was found after a fire in the early hours of April 22, 1972. Two days later there were other fires in the area at Ladywell Fields, Catford Bridge railway station and a derelict house. The police quickly arrested three youths for the murder. The three made confessions, later retracted because the boys said they had been threatened or hit by the police. Their confessions were obtained without an adult present despite the fact that this was against the “Judges’ Rules”. All the boys had alibis for when the police pathologist said that death had occurred. Des...

Elaine Desnousse, 32, from Seychelles, was born with a medical condition called Bronchiectasis and diagnosed aged 14. In 2018 Elaine's health condition progressed to respiratory failure, and since, she has been on oxygen therapy 24/7 and using ventilatory support. This has impaired her mobility and quality of life.   Elaine is in great need of a double lung transplant which will transform her life! Elaine and her family will have to relocate to India for up to 1 year to undergo all the necessary transplant procedures. Her case is thought to be the first-ever in Seychelles. Unfortunately, her medical insurance does not cover this expensive procedure entirely, and the government will not assist her with her medical expenses.   This is why we need you! Elaine and her family are so grateful for any donations to support these life-changing medical procedures, and if you can not donate, please do share this donation page!   Thank you! read more here: Elaine Denousse-I need a Do...

 With all due respect to the Foreign Affairs Minister, the public is not convinced that the government has spent a little above SR4 million on overseas trips for the president and ministers for the past 15 months. According to the minister, that sum included air tickets, accommodation, per diem, and food. That cannot be when First‐Class tickets, and Five‐ Star hotel rooms paid in foreign exchange are costly, affordable only by wealthy people. How about the president's bodyguards, family members, and even the ministers' delegation? We see on television that he is at times accompanied by his spouse. The Opposition leader, Sebastien Pillay, brought a Private Notice Question to the National Assembly because it was becoming a worrisome trend of the president and his ministers, clearly prone to foreign travel, despite the country's economic and health crisis. The Leadership makes hay while the sun shines, enjoying the privileges instead of focusing on the crisis to improve the pl...

  President Wavel Ramkalawan and his closest associates are in-focus as a landmark corruption investigation in the Seychelles gathers steam. Nearly two decades after the alleged offences took place, the Seychelles, in December 2021,   charged   ex-President France-Albert René’s wife and son, together with several economic advisors to then-President René, with a range of corruption and anti-money laundering offenses. Weapons possession and   terrorism offences   followed closely thereafter in February 2022.   The case however, appears to be bogged down amidst new evidence that implicates President Wavel Ramkalawan’s inner circle in the alleged abuses. This includes Vice President Ahmed Afif and former-President James Michel, accused of receiving the stolen state funds and pinning the charges on the ex-President’s family members and public servants. The corruption case relates to the disappearance of 50 million US dollars  gifted  by the United...

  The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) published a new report on Monday in which it revealed that bankers, oligarchs and other members of Vladimir Putin’s circle   hid large fortunes in tax havens  with the help of western intermediaries. The ICIJ – made up of more than 100 media outlets from around the world – was also able to determine that the different evasion manoeuvers allowed these large fortunes to  circumvent the sanctions that the West imposes on Russia  since the beginning of the invasion in Ukraine. The research called  “Pandora Papers Russia”  -part of the  Pandora Papers which has already uncovered more than 800,000 offshore companies linked to individuals and companies from more than 200 countries – found that  more than 4,400 Russian citizens used 3,700 signatures and entities  located in jurisdictions considered tax havens. Pandora Papers contains information from 14 firms specializing in the ...