Interpol red notice

Global arrest system at risk of abuse

The red notice, the best-known weapon in the arsenal of Interpol in snaring criminals, still risks being misused by authoritarian regimes despite an overhaul of the controversial system, observers say. The red notices are issued by the international police organisation to authorities worldwide asking for the arrest of individuals pending their extradition to the member state that wants to detain them.

But rights groups have repeatedly complained the system has been abused by government to nab dissidents, as well as dangerous criminals, and say problems remain despite a major revamp. Russia, China and also Turkey — which stepped up a crackdown on wanted fugitives in the wake of the 2016 failed coup bid against President Recep Tayyip Erdogan — are regarded as the most egregious abusers of the red notice.

But they are now being joined by a growing number of autocratically-ruled Latin American and Middle Eastern states.

“There isn’t detailed public information around which states issue the most politically motivated or abusive Red Notices,” complained Alex Mik, Campaigns and Networks Director of the justice NGO Fair Trials.

“As well as Russia, China and Turkey, we’ve seen examples from Egypt, Azerbaijan, UAE, Venezuela, Iran, Indonesia, Bahrain, and more.” After persecution and torture at home on Egypt, Sayed Abdellatif fled his home country and sought asylum in Australia in 2012. But he was detained on the basis of an Interpol red notice issued by Interpol at Cairo’s request and spent five years held in a refugee detention centre before the warrant was lifted.

 

Interpol red notice

Global arrest system at risk of abuse

The red notice, the best-known weapon in the arsenal of Interpol in snaring criminals, still risks being misused by authoritarian regimes despite an overhaul of the controversial system, observers say. The red notices are issued by the international police organisation to authorities worldwide asking for the arrest of individuals pending their extradition to the member state that wants to detain them. But rights groups have repeatedly complained the system has been abused by government to nab dissidents, as well as dangerous criminals, and say problems remain despite a major revamp. Russia, China and also Turkey which stepped up a crackdown on wanted fugitives in the wake of the 2016 failed coup bid against President Recep Tayyip Erdogan are regarded as the most egregious abusers of the red notice. But they are now being joined by a growing number of autocratically-ruled Latin American and Middle Eastern states. There isnt detailed public information around which states issue the most politically motivated or abusive Red Notices, complained Alex Mik, Campaigns and Networks Director of the justice NGO Fair Trials. As well as Russia, China and Turkey, weve seen examples from Egypt, Azerbaijan, UAE, Venezuela, Iran, Indonesia, Bahrain, and more. After persecution and torture at home on Egypt, Sayed Abdellatif fled his home country and sought asylum in Australia in 2012. But he was detained on the basis of an Interpol red notice issued by Interpol at Cairos request and spent five years held in a refugee detention centre before the warrant was lifted.