THE FUTURE OF INTERPOL | GA Side Event by Red Notice Monitor

Join us for an urgent discussion on safeguarding INTERPOL's future, integrity and preventing the misuse of its Red Notice system. This side event, organised by Red Notice Monitor in cooperation with China Watch, Hong Watch, and Sino Euro Voices, will take place during INTERPOL's 92nd General Assembly in Glasgow on 5th November 2024.

Interpol's Red Notice system plays a vital role in international law enforcement cooperation. However, growing concerns have emerged over the abuse of this system for political persecution, extradition of dissidents, and other malicious purposes that undermine human rights.

A panel of experts, lawyers, and human rights advocates will examine case studies of Interpol's Red Notices being used for political persecution, discuss the existing reform efforts, and propose solutions to strengthen the safeguards and oversight of Interpol's systems.

Attendees will have the opportunity to engage with the panellists during a Q&A session. This event is free and open to all. Registration is required.

MODERATOR

Sahar Zand

A British-Iranian multimedia journalist with extensive experience in long-form current affairs and documentaries. Sahar has fronted a range of stories from across the world, for the BBC, Channel 4's Unreported World, ITV, VICE, Sky and a number of other international broadcasters. A lot of her work has often been from within hostile environments, with a special focus on under-reported human-interest stories. Sahar has reported on a diverse range of topics from conflict and human rights abuses to gender and mental health issues. Sahar is the presenter of ‘Dirty Work’ - a podcast series from Sky News on the misuse of INTERPOL Red Notices.

SPEAKERS

Ben Keith

Ben Keith is a leading barrister at 5 St Andrew’s Hill Chambers specialising in cross-border and international cases, covering Extradition, Mutual Legal Assistance, Immigration, Public Law, Financial Crime and International Law including sanctions. He has extensive experience of appellate proceedings across all courts, including the Court of Appeal and Supreme Court as well as the European Court of Human Rights and United Nations. Keith represents governments, political and military figures, business leaders, and human rights defenders in the most sensitive cases. As a leading authority on the removal of INTERPOL Red Notices for clients facing politically motivated allegations and the use of transnational repression by foreign governments, Keith co-founded and edits the Red Notice Monitor blog. He is sought after to represent politically exposed persons and High Net Worth individuals in extradition proceedings and INTERPOL Red Notice cases.

Ted R. Bromund

As founder and principal of Bromund Expert Witness Services since 2019, Ted has provided expert witness reports, and/or court testimony, in over thirty cases of INTERPOL abuse in the U.S., the U.K., Australia, and Poland. He has presented testimony to the U.K. House of Commons, spoken in the U.K. House of Lords, published over 50 relevant research papers and op-eds on INTERPOL, been quoted widely in U.S. and foreign media, and was described in 2023 by Sky News (UK) as "the go-to guy on anything relating to INTERPOL."

Rhys Davies

Rhys is a leading International Criminal law and International Human Rights law barrister at Temple Garden Chambers. He is experienced in leading campaigns to free British and other citizens detained abroad. Rhys has significant experience in matters before the United Nations Special Procedures mechanisms, with numerous ongoing cases concerning matters of torture, arbitrary detention and forced displacement. Rhys has in-depth experience of both the UK and US Magnitsky sanctions regimes and has worked closely with leading global campaigners on efforts to sanction human rights abusers and corrupt officials. Rhys is a member of the List of Counsel for the International Criminal Court, the Kosovo Specialist Chambers and the Special Tribunal for Lebanon. As an expert on INTERPOL and the Red Notice system with extensive experience of advising clients detained at the behest of oppressive regimes, he co-founded and edits the Red Notice Monitor blog.

Thomas Benson

Thomas Benson is a Research and Policy Advisor at Hong Kong Watch. He holds a BA (Hons) in English and a MSc in China Studies. Professionally fluent in Mandarin, he studied Chinese at National Taiwan University / 國立臺灣大學. Prior to joining Hong Kong Watch, Thomas worked as a researcher for the Welcoming Committee for Hong Kongers, where he conducted the UK’s largest research survey of BN(O) Hong Kongers and co-authored a major report into their new lives in the UK. Thomas has also held parliamentary and consular roles, and lived previously in Taiwan and Malaysia.

Tienchi Martin-Liao

Tienchi Martin-Liao, born in China, growing up in Taiwan, is a writer and translator. She is the honorable president of the Independent Chinese PEN Center. She worked at the Institute for Asian Affairs in Hamburg, Germany, and lectured at the Ruhr-University Bochum. She was editor-in-chief of ARCUS Chinatexte, a translation series of Chinese literature. From 2000 to 2010, she became the director of the Laogai Research Foundation in Washington DC, to work on human rights issues. Now based in Cologne, Germany, she has become a board member of the Writer for Peace Committee of PEN International.

Host or Publisher Red Notice Monitor