On the Campaign Trail – UK Government Issues Statement in Support of Stephen Kavanagh

Ben Keith & Rhys Davies

The British Government appears to be making a concerted diplomatic effort to lobby on behalf of the UK candidate Stephen Kavanagh who has put himself forward for the post of the next Secretary General of Interpol.

Under the theme “innovation, impact, integrity and inclusivity,” a glossy brochure – available here – supporting Mr Kavanagh’s candidacy has recently been published. It has a foreword by the Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, and includes a strong recommendation for his candidacy.

From our reading of his campaign material, it would seem the primary focus of Mr Kavanagh’s campaign will revolve around emphasising his extensive experience at the organisation and as a senior police officer to suggest he will be a safe pair of hands to take the helm at Interpol.

Perhaps unsurprisingly Mr Kavanagh does not directly address the widespread criticism of attempts by certain regimes to politically manipulate Interpol’s procedures in recent years. Mr Kavanagh does however promise to “uphold and strengthen [Interpol’s].. commitment to efficiency, transparency and neutrality.“ He also refers to his past support for the work of Interpol’s Notices and Diffusions Task Force and the Interpol Corrective Measures Team.

In a departure from the secrecy that normally characterises Interpol’s internal appointments, the publication of the brochure is a welcome development. It is hoped that we shall soon see similar pamphlets from the other candidates in the field.

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Image: Unsplash

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.