The delegation of PACE will discuss abusive use of Interpol system during the spring session that will start in Strasbour on April 24.
A motion for resolution is based on “Abusive use of the Interpol system: the need for more stringent legal safeguards” report authored by Bernd Fabritius.
The report says that in recent years, Interpol’s Red Notice system has been abused by some member States to persecute political opponents beyond their borders.
The author cites several examples of abusive use of Interpol system, in particular those involving Azerbaijan.
The report mentions the case of blogger Alexander Lapshin.
“Mr Alexander Lapshin, a “travel blogger” holding Russian, Ukrainian and Israeli nationality, was arrested in Minsk in mid-December 2016 on the strength of a Red Notice requested by Azerbaijan on the basis of visits to Nagorno-Kharabakh in 2011 and 2012, which he had commented on in his blog,” the report says.
The report also presents the story of Azerbaijani opposition activist Azer Samadov who left Azerbaijan for fear of political persecution after having supported a candidate opposing President Aliyev in 2003. He was first arrested in Georgia, but got a refugee status and moved to the Netherlands. There he also faced difficulties and was detained due to an Interpol alert issued by Azerbaijan. Samadov remained unable to travel, including to receive crucial medical treatment in Germany, because of the Red Notice. The notice was finally removed in 2015, eight years after it was first issued, on the basis of Interpol’s refugee policy.
