{{short description|Romanian investigative journalism project}} {{About|the Romanian journalism group|the marine research expedition|RISE project}}
'''RISE Project''' is a Romanian [[non-profit journalism]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://ajrarchive.org/article.asp?id=4458 |title=American Journalism Review |date= |access-date=2015-05-01}}</ref> organization founded in early 2012 by a group of [[investigative journalist]]s, 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)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://vis.occrp.org |title=VIS. Visual Investigative Scenarios platform: Pages |publisher=Vis.occrp.org |date= |access-date=2015-05-01}}</ref> platform.
RISE Project is a member of the regional network [[Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project|Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP)]] and of the Global Investigative Journalism Network.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://gijn.org/ |title=Global Investigative Journalism Network |publisher=Gijn.org |date= |access-date=2015-05-01}}</ref>
==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)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.riseproject.ro/investigatie/afacerile-puterii-si-ale-opozitiei-2 |title=Afacerile Puterii Si Ale Opozitiei :Rise Project |publisher=Riseproject.ro |date= |access-date=2015-05-01}}</ref> * revealed financial connections between prominent Church officials and organized crime (The Affairs of the Church)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.riseproject.ro/articol/afacerile-bisericii/ |title=Afacerile Bisericii :Rise Project |publisher=Riseproject.ro |date=2012-11-27 |access-date=2015-05-01}}</ref> * untangled networks of hidden money transactions between large international corporations and public authorities in Romania (The Ericsson Case)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.riseproject.ro/investigatie/cazul-ericsson/ |title=CAZUL "ERICSSON" :Rise Project |publisher=Riseproject.ro |date= |access-date=2015-05-01}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://reportingproject.net/occrp/index.php/en/ccwatch/cc-watch-indepth/1869-ericsson-accused-of-bribes-by-exec |title=Executive Alleges Bribery at Ericsson |publisher=Reportingproject.net |date=2013-03-05 |access-date=2015-05-01}}</ref> * worked on large tax evasion cases involving cross-border food import-export structures (The Market Sultans)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.riseproject.ro/investigatie/sultanii-pietelor/ |title=SULTANII PIEȚELOR :Rise Project |publisher=Riseproject.ro |date= |access-date=2015-05-01}}</ref> and The Horse Meat Affair<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.riseproject.ro/investigatie/industria-alimentara/ |title=Interesele Din Spatele Industriei Alimentare :Rise Project |publisher=Riseproject.ro |date= |access-date=2015-05-01}}</ref> * traced Egypt's public money hidden in Romania and abroad by [[Hosni Mubarak]] and his associates (Mubarak's Money Hidden in Romania)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.riseproject.ro/investigatie/banii-lui-mubarak-ascunsi-in-romania |title=Banii Egiptului, ascunsi in Romania :Rise Project |publisher=Riseproject.ro |date=2012-01-05 |access-date=2015-05-01}}</ref> and that of Syria's dictator Bashar Al Assad (Bashar's Clan Runs Business in Romania<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.riseproject.ro/articol/clanul-lui-bashar-al-assad-face-afaceri-in-romania |title=Clanul lui Bashar Al-Assad face afaceri la Bucuresti :Rise Project |publisher=Riseproject.ro |date=2012-05-16 |access-date=2015-05-01}}</ref> * uncovered and prevented fraud in Romania and Moldova (The Bingo Fraud Exported to Moldova)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.riseproject.ro/articol/teapa-bingo-exportata-in-republica-moldova/ |title=Teapa "Bingo", exportata in Republica Moldova :Rise Project |publisher=Riseproject.ro |date=2012-06-13 |access-date=2015-05-01}}</ref> * disclosed agreements and corruption cases behind a major gold exploitation project in Romania (The Rosia Montana Affair)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.riseproject.ro/articol/documentele-confidentiale-ale-afacerii-rosia-montana/ |title=Documentele confidențiale ale afacerii Roșia Montană :Rise Project |publisher=Riseproject.ro |date= |access-date=2015-05-01}}</ref> * 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]].<ref>{{Cite news |url=http://www.rise.md/video-asasin-in-lege/ |title=Asasin-in-lege |publisher=Rise.md |date=2014-11-28 |access-date=2015-05-01 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |url=https://reportingproject.net/occrp/index.php/en/ccwatch/cc-watch-briefs/2734-moldova-pro-russia-party-banned-from-elections-after-occrp-expose |title=Moldova: Pro-Russia Party Banned From Elections After OCCRP Expose |publisher=Reportingproject.net |date=2014-11-28 |access-date=2015-05-01 |archive-date=2015-01-01 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150101180718/https://reportingproject.net/occrp/index.php/en/ccwatch/cc-watch-briefs/2734-moldova-pro-russia-party-banned-from-elections-after-occrp-expose |url-status=dead }}</ref>
RISE Project investigations have been quoted in local<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hotnews.ro/stiri-esential-15496670-rise-project-documentele-confidentiale-ale-afacerii-rosia-montana.htm |title=RISE Project: Documentele confidentiale ale afacerii Rosia Montana - Esential |publisher=HotNews.ro |date=2013-08-27 |access-date=2015-05-01}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://stiri.tvr.ro/fostul-sef-al-ericsson-romania-admite-ca-a-platit-politicieni-pentru-a-obtine-contracte_23573_relationate.html |title=Fostul şef al Ericsson România admite că a plătit politicieni pentru a obţine contracte | Stiriletvr.ro - Site-ul de stiri al TVR |publisher=Stiri.tvr.ro |date= |access-date=2015-05-01 |archive-date=2016-01-05 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160105051000/http://stiri.tvr.ro/fostul-sef-al-ericsson-romania-admite-ca-a-platit-politicieni-pentru-a-obtine-contracte_23573_relationate.html |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|author= |url=https://adevarul.ro/news/bucuresti/rise-project-cei-vor-remodela-capitala-1_50f80e97dc344dc2024903a4/index.html |title=RISE PROJECT: Cei care vor remodela Capitala |publisher=Adevarul.ro |date= |access-date=2015-05-01}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wall-street.ro/articol/Economie/139782/fostul-sef-al-ericsson-romania-recunoaste-ca-a-platit-politicieni.html |title=Fostul sef al Ericsson Romania recunoaste ca a platit politicieni |publisher=Wall-street.ro |date=2012-11-07 |access-date=2015-05-01}}</ref> and international media,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2013/feb/13/horsemeat-scandal-dutch-connection-romania?INTCMP=SRCH |title=Horsemeat scandal: Dutch meat trader could be central figure | UK news |publisher=Theguardian.com |date= |access-date=2015-05-01}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|author=Luke Harding |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/apr/09/moldova-hitman-london |title=Moldovan connection: on trail of alleged hitman suspected in London hit | World news |publisher=Theguardian.com |date= |access-date=2015-05-01}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YQPQp-mgdcE |title=Dubiose syrische Geschäfte in Wien |publisher=YouTube.com |date=2012-11-25 |access-date=2015-05-01}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/syria-sanctions-idUSL5E8M1A1K20121102 |title=INSIGHT-In Syrian sanctions, some gains but much uncertainty |publisher=Reuters.com |date=2012-11-02 |access-date=2015-05-01 |first=Radu |last=Marinas}}</ref> 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 [[Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project#cite note-7|OCCRP]] project),<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.reportingproject.net/offshore/ |title=Offshore Crime, Inc |publisher=Reportingproject.net |date= |access-date=2015-05-01}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://hetq.am/eng/news/5491/ |title=OCCRP Wins Daniel Pearl Global Investigative Journalism Award - Hetq - News, Articles, Investigations |publisher=Hetq.am |date= |access-date=2015-05-01}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.icij.org/awards#w2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120508022548/http://www.icij.org/awards#w2011 |url-status=dead |archive-date=2012-05-08 |title=Daniel Pearl Awards | International Consortium of Investigative Journalists |publisher=Icij.org |date=2012-02-18 |access-date=2015-05-01 }}</ref> The Global Shining Light Award,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.icij.org/journalists/paul-cristian-radu |title=Paul Cristian Radu | International Consortium of Investigative Journalists |publisher=Icij.org |date= |access-date=2015-05-01}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://gijn.org/awards/ |title=Awards | Global Investigative Journalism Network |publisher=Gijn.org |date= |access-date=2015-05-01}}</ref> and [[Investigative Reporters and Editors]] Tom Renner Award for crime reporting.<ref>{{cite web|last=Ricchiardi |first=Sherry |url=http://ajrarchive.org/article.asp?id=4884 |title=American Journalism Review |date= |access-date=2015-05-01}}</ref>
Following an investigation into [[Liviu Dragnea]] the Romanian Data Protection Authority (ANSPDCP) used a [[GDPR]] request to demand information on the RISE Project's sources.<ref name="techdirt">{{cite news |first=Mike |last=Masnick |date=November 19, 2018 |title=Yet Another GDPR Disaster: Journalists Ordered To Hand Over Secret Sources Under 'Data Protection' Law |url=https://www.techdirt.com/articles/20181114/01491541047/yet-another-gdpr-disaster-journalists-ordered-to-hand-over-secret-sources-under-data-protection-law.shtml |archive-url=https://archive.today/20181120174443/https://www.techdirt.com/articles/20181114/01491541047/yet-another-gdpr-disaster-journalists-ordered-to-hand-over-secret-sources-under-data-protection-law.shtml |archive-date=November 20, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |publisher=[[Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project]] |title=English Translation of the Letter from the Romanian Data Protection Authority to RISE Project |date=November 9, 2018 |url=https://www.occrp.org/en/16-other/other-articles/8876-english-translation-of-the-letter-from-the-romanian-data-protection-authority-to-rise-project |first=George |last=Bălăiți |archive-url=https://archive.today/20181109210657/https://www.occrp.org/en/16-other/other-articles/8876-english-translation-of-the-letter-from-the-romanian-data-protection-authority-to-rise-project |archive-date=November 9, 2018}}</ref>
==Awards==
In 2019, Attila Biro from the RISE Project and his colleague from [[Bivol.bg]] Dimitar Stoyanov received the Axel Springer Award for young journalists for a joint investigation into the abuse of [[European Union]] funds.<ref>https://www.ecpmf.eu/news/ecpmf/dimitar-stoyanov-and-attila-biro-win-axel-springer-award-2019 {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190608135632/https://www.ecpmf.eu/news/ecpmf/dimitar-stoyanov-and-attila-biro-win-axel-springer-award-2019 |date=2019-06-08 }}, European Center for Press and Media Freedom, 3 May 2019</ref>
==References== {{Reflist|colwidth=30em}}
==External links== * {{official website|http://www.riseproject.ro}}
{{Panama Papers leak}} {{Portal bar|Economics|Journalism|Panama|Politics}} {{Authority control}}
[[Category:2012 establishments in Romania]] [[Category:Non-profit organizations based in Romania]] [[Category:Investigative journalism]] [[Category:News agencies based in Romania]] [[Category:Journalism organizations in Europe]] [[Category:Nonprofit newspapers]]