In order to address the changes in geopolitics and international law, Interpol has compiled a newly revised version of the Repository of Practices (RoP), which is meant to serve as a “reference guide, providing the general historical and contextual overviews of Articles 2(1) and 3, as well as addressing specific topics and illustrating with real-life examples from Interpol’s practices”.
Published in November 2024, the updated repository of practices identifies how Interpol’s General Secretariat determines compliance with the requirements of Article 2(1) and Article 3 of Interpol’s constitution, which states that Interpol’s mandate must be conducted “within the limits of the laws existing in different countries” and that they must be carried out “in the spirit” of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR). The previous version of the RoP, released in 2013, was by comparison focused exclusively on Article 3 of Interpol’s constitution.
Real World Application
Through the use of real-world cases, the updated RoP can provide examples that can better guide member states on how to meet Interpol’s mandate and respond to “evolving trends in transnational crime and Interpol’s ongoing efforts to refine its internal safeguards”.
These specific scenarios, which include terrorism, race, religion, political unrest, and more, can address and identify the processes and rationales applied when assessing a member nation’s data requests and notices.
And for individuals and legal practitioners, the updated RoP acts as a practical guide to help them better understand how Interpol operates and applies its principles.
Refined Guidance and Red Notice Impacts
The refined guidance is there to avoid the potential misuse of international policing tools and to ensure Interpol’s dedication to political neutrality. And as Secretary Jurgen Stock declared, “the repository of practice is a valuable resource which demonstrates Interpol’s commitment to upholding human rights principles and the rule of law in our activities”.
In particular, the RoP will assist Interpol’s Notices and Diffusions Task Force (NDTF) in their role in ensuring that incoming notice and diffusion requests are compliant with Articles 2(1) and 3 of the constitution. And if a notice and diffusion is not compliant with these articles, the NDTF can deny Interpol’s General Secretariat from publishing them.
Furthermore, if a notice has been denied due to a lack of compliance with Articles 2(1) and 3, Interpol can refuse to provide any further assistance to the member state seeking its help. In doing so, Interpol ensures that its actions remain politically neutral and focused on operating as a rights-compliant policing organisation.
A More Nuanced Review Process
As of now, any and all requests within Interpol are assessed against both articles, rather than Article 3, as had previously been the case, which should make it easier for Interpol to distinguish between acts of pure or common crime and political acts – especially with the capacity to engage in a more nuanced compliance review for each and every case by virtue of having access to a more diverse set of screening criteria.
Key Takeaways
The updated repository of practice is a renewed call and promise by Interpol to remain committed to its politically neutral and rules-based mandate, whilst ensuring its work at all times is conducted in the spirit of the UDHR and established legal norms, ensuring that Interpol’s practices uphold human rights and support fair, accountable global law enforcement.