British Interpol Candidate Vows to Crack Down on Russia and China
Stephen Kavanagh, vying for the position of the next secretary general of Interpol, has emphasized his efforts to enhance the red notice system.
An individual from the British police force, a candidate for the next secretary general of Interpol, has outlined the measures he has taken to strengthen the red notice system. This comes after concerns were raised about authoritarian states such as China and Russia misusing the system to target political dissidents and critics of regimes.
Cases include Russia issuing repeated arrest requests for Bill Browder, a vocal Kremlin critic based in London, and China issuing a red notice for Uyghur activist Yidiresi Aishan living in exile in Turkey, which was deemed “non-compliant” by Interpol in 2021.
Stephen Kavanagh, currently serving as Interpol’s executive director of police services, has introduced new protocols to prevent such exploitation of the system.
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According to Mr. Mast, “China is misusing the system for political suppression, extraditing individuals back to China under the guise of political suppression rather than for criminal activities that contravene free speech.”
However, Mr. Kavanagh mentioned that Interpol now has legal experts and analysts monitoring lists in real-time to block inappropriate requests.
‘Corrective Measures’ Implemented
He emphasized that any of the 196 countries utilizing Interpol’s services could face “corrective measures” if found to be misusing the system.
Mr. Kavanagh indicated that the reforms he has initiated in the red notice system are crucial to his campaign to succeed Jürgen Stock as secretary general in November.
Three other contenders for the position include Valdecy Urquiza, the Brazilian federal police’s director for international cooperation; Faisal Shahkar, a Pakistani serving as head of the United Nations’ police division; and Mubita Nawa, director of the Zambian police service.
Mr. Kavanagh, who served as chief constable of Essex from 2013 to 2018, joined Interpol in 2020.
He has received the backing of Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, whose campaign brochure endorses Mr. Kavanagh as someone who will transform Interpol into an “innovative, modern organization dedicated to combating global criminal threats.”
During his interview with The Times of London, Mr. Kavanagh stressed the rapid adaptation of international criminals to technological advancements like artificial intelligence and encrypted communication networks.
He mentioned, “Interpol faces the challenge of criminals leveraging technology such as encryption. We need to strengthen our collaborations with technology firms and academia to proactively address these issues.”
‘We Must Innovate for the Future’
Mr. Kavanagh added, “We should have a centralized system for police officers to approach IP providers, investigate cryptocurrency exchanges. We need to be more innovative in our approach in order to combat organized crime effectively. This will enhance Interpol’s credibility in the years ahead.”
Founded in 1923, Interpol’s databases are accessed by police departments globally more than 20 million times daily.
While cautious of potential abuses of the red notice system, Mr. Kavanagh highlighted the importance of maintaining communication channels with law enforcement agencies in countries like Russia and China.
He noted that in late 2020, Interpol coordinated a rescue operation for a young boy at risk of exploitation by a pedophile ring in Russia, after U.S. authorities detected concerning communication on the dark web.
It remains uncertain if such collaboration would continue in the aftermath of Russia’s incursion into Ukraine.
However, Mr. Kavanagh emphasized, “Interpol must keep these channels open because criminal activities will thrive where law enforcement is weak.”
He added, “Around 10,000 red notices are issued annually. These notices contribute to the apprehension of individuals involved in child abuse, fleeing justice, or involved in heinous crimes such as murder. “
Interpol’s executive committee will select a favored candidate in June, with ratification by the general assembly in November determining the next secretary general.
