Lawyers Rhys Davies and Ben Keith featured in Turkish Minute | INTERPOL does not name system abusers in order to preserve int’l police cooperation: secretary general

Ben Keith and Rhys Davies featured in Turkish Minute on 29 January 2024

Interpol Red Notice lawyers Rhys Davies and Ben Keith were featured in Turkish Minute after their appearance on CBS 60 Minutes on 28 January 2024. They provided expert commentary on Interpol and the Interpol Red Notice system and the problem faced by the organisation. 

“INTERPOL acknowledges [Red Notice] abuses and at the same time admits that its system is not foolproof. In 2022, 304 out of almost 24,000 wanted alerts were found to be in violation of INTERPOL’s rules and were subsequently rejected or deleted. However, the organization declined to disclose which countries committed the worst violations.

Rhys Davies and Ben Keith, British lawyers who specialize in INTERPOL’s complex bureaucracy, believe that INTERPOL’s reluctance to punish countries appropriately, even when they blatantly violate its rules, undermines the organization’s integrity.

Speaking to Turkish Minute, Keith expressed concern about the lack of transparency in INTERPOL’s processes and the absence of tough disciplinary sanctions against countries that abuse the system.

“To reform INTERPOL, the organization needs to become transparent,” Keith told Turkish Minute.

“All the processes are completely opaque. We do not know who is elected or how and what the voting is,” he said.

Turkey has been accused of abusing INTERPOL mechanisms, particularly Red Notices, to target political opponents. These Red Notices have resulted in the freezing of assets, revocation of passports and restrictions on movement, causing damage to the reputation of individuals labeled as international criminals.”

The article can be read in full here.

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Rhys Davies is a barrister at Temple Garden Chambers specializing in international criminal law and human rights law. He has represented clients in numerous high-profile cases, including those involving torture, extradition, and Interpol Red Notices.

Ben Keith is a barrister at 5SAH Chambers specializing in cross-border and international cases. He has extensive experience in extradition, human rights, and public international law. He has represented clients in many high-profile cases, including those involving political asylum and Interpol Red Notices.