The panel, chaired by Sahar Zand , discussed the changes at the top of Interpol with the new Secretary General Valdecy Urquiza and the new members of the Executive Committee. The Executive Committee is the steering group of Interpol and it was noted with dismay that the People’s Republic of China has a seat on the Executive Committee.
The panel discussed how China is potentially Interpol’s “most successful abuser,” employing a highly sophisticated approach to transnational repression that extends far beyond the Red Notice system itself.
Ted Bromund, Interpol expert, explained that China’s approach, integrating Red Notice abuse with broader harassment campaigns makes it particularly effective. Abuse of Interpol’s systems tends to rely on accusing individuals of financial offences, fraud, breach of contract, failure to pay taxes, and other financial related offences.
“The PRC, in its approach, ‘evidences’ those alleged offences with wide-ranging measures unrelated to Interpol.” The coordinated harassment often includes direct threats to family members both in China and abroad, continuous surveillance, deployment of spyware, and coerced “voluntary” returns through various forms of intimidation.