Warning: This episode contains descriptions of torture
In our latest episode, Sahar Zend tells the story of Jessica, who spent six years in US custody due to a “false” Interpol Red Notice after she was harassed by a police officer in her home country, El Salvador.
The United States has specific legislation to prevent Interpol from being used for transnational repression, but immigration authorities appear to be ignoring guidance not to arrest someone solely because of a Red Notice.
There's a closer look at the head of Interpol, Major General Ahmed Nasser Al Raisi – a senior police officer in the UAE – who human rights lawyers say is one of the biggest perpetrators of Interpol abuses.
At the conclusion of the series, British Security Minister Tom Tugendhat explains his desire to bring about changes in the administration.
In the second episode of the series, Interpol Secretary General Jürgen Stock speaks to Dirty Work about the Red Notice system.
“I think it's a very powerful system,” he said, “and it's a very successful system first and foremost because it helps almost every day around the world catch dangerous fugitives, murderers, rapists, those who exploit children, drug traffickers.”
When asked about people who end up with a notice they shouldn't, he said that's “a small number of cases, but of course, very often, important cases end up in the media and where we say, yes, this notice should not have been published.”
Click to subscribe Dirty Work: The Abuse of INTERPOL Red Notices
Presented by: Sahar Zend
Producer: Heidi Pitt
Lead Producer: Sarah Burke
Sound Designer: James Bradshaw
Editor: Paul Stanworth