Allegations of Misuse of the Interpol Red Notice Process

Announcement

Please join the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission for a briefing on allegations of misuse by some International Criminal Police Organization (“INTERPOL”) member states of the Red Notice process.

INTERPOL is the world’s largest international police organization, with 190 members including the United States. INTERPOL’s role is to assist the police by managing criminal information databases that facilitate the exchange of information among member states, which are given the ability to submit various types of color-coded alerts or requests for cooperation (notices), among other features. These include Red Notices, which seek to locate and arrest persons based on a warrant or court decision, with a view to extradition or similar action.

Article 3 of the INTERPOL Constitution states that “It is strictly forbidden for the Organization to undertake any intervention or activities of a political, military, religious or racial character.”  Nonetheless, there are persistent allegations that some countries use Red Notices to target political opponents, activists, journalists, and refugees, among others. Red Notices can have long-lasting, damaging implications for individuals’ enjoyment of fundamental rights, including travel restrictions and negative effects on their employment prospects and reputation.  

The briefing will examine the INTERPOL Red Notice issuance process, identify areas that require improvement and provide recommendations for the U.S. Government and Congress on how to prevent future misuse.     

The briefing is open to Members of Congress, congressional staff, the public and the press. For any questions, please contact Kimberly Stanton (for Rep. McGovern) at 202-225-3599 or Kimberly.Stanton@mail.house.gov or Carson Middleton (for Rep. Pitts) at 202-225-2411 or Carson.Middleton@mail.house.gov.

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