Hong Kong Watch urges INTERPOL to be wary of transnational repression via Red Notices in Glasgow
During INTERPOL’s 92nd General Assembly in Glasgow on 5 November, Hong Kong Watch participated in an event co-organised by Red Notice Monitor and China Watch to discuss the People’s Republic of China’s (PRC) misuse of INTERPOL’s Red Notice system for political purposes, and the possible implications for transnational repression against the Hong Kong diaspora.
Hong Kong Watch Research and Policy Advisor Thomas Benson appeared on a panel alongside the co-editors of Red Notice Monitor, barristers Ben Keith and Rhys Davies, as well as INTERPOL expert Ted Bromund. The event was moderated by Sahar Zand, creator of the Sky News podcast series Dirty Work, which investigates abuses of the Red Notice system.
INTERPOL’s Red Notice system allows participating countries to issue a request to law enforcement worldwide to locate and provisionally arrest a person pending extradition. While INTERPOL’s Constitution explicitly forbids politically-motivated Red Notices, research by Safeguard Defenders and Red Notice Monitor has identified numerous cases in which dissidents have been targeted by Red Notice requests from the PRC.
During the panel, Mr Benson highlighted how INTERPOL’s lack of transparency makes it difficult for activists to know if they are being targeted by the INTERPOL system. In July last year, following the Hong Kong Police Force (HKPF) announcing HK$1 million (£100,000) bounties on eight exiled Hong Kong activists, INTERPOL released a statement saying that it had not received requests for Red Notice warrants on any of the eight individuals. However, when the HKPF issued an additional five bounties in December 2023, INTERPOL did not issue a similar statement. Furthermore, Chief Superintendent of the HKPF Steve Li stated that the HKPF would not “rule out anything” when asked whether they would seek the assistance of INTERPOL.
Mr Benson concluded by urging democratic governments to put pressure on INTERPOL to regularly publish publicly disclosable data on the percentage of warrants issued by the Hong Kong government that it has reviewed, and the percentage that it has rejected on grounds of political motivation.
With 180,000 Hong Kongers and a number of activists now living in Britain, the UK government should take a leading role in pushing back on this form of transnational repression. The UK Foreign Affairs Committee should hold an inquiry to study how it can ensure INTERPOL isn’t used as an instrument of transnational repression against Hong Kongers and other dissidents now living in the UK.
This event welcomed around 50 individuals, drawing together key figures from across the China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Uyghur and Tibetan human rights space, to discuss the shared challenge posed to these groups by abuse of the INTERPOL Red Notice system. We would like to thank Red Notice Monitor and China Watch for their partnership.
香港監察赴格拉斯哥參與研討會 促請國際刑警提防中港當局透過紅色通緝令作跨國鎮壓
11月5日，第92屆國際刑警組織（INTERPOL）大會在格拉斯哥舉行期間，香港監察參與了由Red Notice Monitor和China Watch合辦的研討會，討論中國為政治目的濫用國際刑警「紅色通緝令」（Red Notice）機制，以及跨國鎮壓海外港人社群的可能影響。
香港監察研究及政策顧問Thomas Benson在會上發言，同場講者有：Red Notice Monitor聯合編輯暨大律師Ben Keith和Rhys Davies，以及國際刑警專家Ted Bromund。活動由《天空新聞》（Sky News）播客節目系列《Dirty Work》創作人Sahar Zand主持，有關節目調查濫用紅色通緝令機制的情況。
國際刑警紅色通緝令機制容許成員國向全球執法機關發出要求，尋找並暫時拘捕等待引渡者。雖然《國際刑警組織章程》明令禁止出於政治動機發出紅色通緝令，但非政府組織Safeguard Defenders和Red Notice Monitor的研究發現大量異見人士成為中國要求發出紅色通緝令目標的個案。
小組討論期間，Thomas Benson強調國際刑警缺乏透明度，令社運人士難以知道自己是否成為國際刑警機制的目標。香港警察去年7月宣布懸紅100萬港元（10萬英鎊）通緝八名香港流亡社運人士後，國際刑警發表聲明稱沒收到向這八人中任何一位發出紅色通緝令的要求。然而，當香港警察2023年12月另外發出五項懸紅通緝令時，國際刑警並沒發表類似聲明。再者，當被問到會否尋求國際刑警協助時，香港警方國安處總警司李桂華表示，警方不會「排除任何可能」。
Thomas Benson最後促請民主政府向國際刑警施壓，要求定期公布可公開披露的數據，包括組織審核過香港政府所發出通緝令的百分比，以及以政治動機為由拒絕的百分比。
現時有18萬香港人和不少社運人士居於英國，英國政府應帶領對抗這種跨國鎮壓。英國外交事務委員會應展開調查，研究如何確保國際刑警機制不會被用作跨國鎮壓現居英國的港人及其他異見人士的工具。
今次活動約有50人參加，匯聚了中國、香港、臺灣、維吾爾地區和西藏人權領域的重要人物，討論濫用國際刑警紅色通緝令機制對這些群體構成的共同挑戰。香港監察謹感謝Red Notice Monitor和China Watch合辦活動。