Interpol finally takes steps to prevent Russian Red Notice misuse

Ben Keith & Rhys Davies

Interpol’s announcement that it is taking steps to restrict Russia’s ability to issue Red Notices on its global database of wanted international criminals is long overdue.

Roger Sahota

Article 3 of Interpol’s constitution prohibits Interpol from taking part in political activities. However, in recent years many non-democratic countries – not just Russia – have sought to manipulate Interpol’s procedures by issuing politicised Red Notices to target their political opponents.

The abuse can be obvious – as with the targeting of opposition politicians or activists exercising their right to free speech or peaceful protest. But it can also be more subtle. Russia, Turkey, China, Nigeria and the UAE along with many other Interpol members have long been accused of trying to harass not just political dissidents but business leaders and other public figures (such as the NBA star Enes Kanter) who are perceived as threats to their political or economic interests.

An investigation by the Council of Europe in 2019 confirmed this when it found “that Interpol’s procedures had been frequently abused for political or corrupt reasons by certain countries.”

Last week’s announcement means that the National Crime Bureau in Moscow can no longer directly post Red Notices or diffusions on Interpol’s database. Interpol’s General Secretariat will filter and monitor all Russian requests to see if they are complaint before they are disseminated to other members of Interpol.

Interpol experts have long argued that this type of screening system should be adopted for any Interpol member that has a record of abusing its procedures. The deterrent effect would set an example for persistent offenders. Suspending Russia from the Red Notice system should be just the start of an overhaul of Interpol’s processes to ensure that they are not abused in the future by autocracies and dictatorships that do not respect the international rule of law.

To read more about the announcement, click here.

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About the Authors

Ben Keith Barrister

Ben Keith is a barrister at 5 St Andrew's Hill and co-founder of International Human Rights Advisors. He specialises in INTERPOL Red Notice challenges, extradition, asylum, and international human rights law. He has acted in cases before the European Court of Human Rights Grand Chamber, the UK Supreme Court, the African Commission, the Inter-American Commission, the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, and the UN Committee Against Torture. He is ranked Star Individual in Chambers & Partners for extradition.

Rhys Davies Barrister

Rhys Davies is a barrister at Temple Garden Chambers and co-founder of IHR Advisors. He specialises in INTERPOL Red Notice challenges, extradition, international criminal law and human rights law. He co-authored the report Undue Influence: the UAE and Interpol with Sir David Calvert-Smith, and has provided expert commentary on Interpol to CBS 60 Minutes, Sky News and City AM. He represents clients in high-profile cases involving political persecution and transnational repression.