INTERPOL and EUROPOL

INTERPOL, the largest international police organisation with 194 member countries, combats international and transnational crime, and facilitates worldwide police cooperation and crime prevention. Police in a member country (or authorised international entity) uses the Notice system to share information about crimes, criminals or threats with counterparts worldwide.

However, some countries have poor human rights records or may be experiencing political instability. In such cases it can happen that notices are abused. Notices have been issued, for example, for journalists who are critical of the government in their country.

INTERPOL Notices are colour-coded. Red Notices, akin to international arrest warrants, have the objective of seeking the location or arrest of a person wanted by a judicial jurisdiction or an international tribunal with a view to their extradition. As such, a Red Notice can seriously impact individuals’ reputation, freedom and assets. There are increasing instances of Red Notices being used for political and economic vendettas.

EUROPOL, mandated by the European Union to assist EU member states in the fight against transnational crime, acts as a centre for law enforcement co-operation and criminal intelligence. Its officials cannot arrest suspects or act without the approval of national authorities. However, EUROPOL has been used to share information among EU member states in tracking and reporting the movements of citizens across borders.