The European Parliament General Assembly session talked about Turkey abusing the Interpol red bulletin. Estonia EU Affairs Deputy Minister Matti Maasikas spoke in the name of the EU term presidency and said they as the EU will ask the Interpol to review their red bulletin practice. The Estonian minister said the issue is now being discussed among member states, and added that the Interpol red bulletins can’t be used as a tool for extradition of criminals, and that their extradition verdicts are subject to legal inspection and procedures.

RESPONSIBILITY LIES WITH THE INTERPOL

Justice, Consumers and Gender Equality Commissioner Věra Jourová spoke in the name of the commission and stated that the Interpol red bulletins are abused for political means by some countries. Jourová stressed that this “could have significant effect on individuals”.

Jourová said the EU is not a member of the Interpol and doesn’t have authority over the precautions to be taken, and added that the responsibility to take precautions against such abuses of the Interpol system lies with the Interpol itself.

TURKEY, RUSSIA, IRAN AND CHINA ARE ABUSIVE

Most parliamentarians who spoke in the session argued that countries like Turkey, Russia, Iran and China abuse the Interpol red bulletins “to silence political opponents”.

The EP’s decision to hold a session on the matter was made after Ankara had issued red bulletins for Turkish-Swedish journalist Hamza Yalçın and Turkish-German writer Doğan Akhanlı. Yalçın and Akhanlı had been temporarily detained by the police in Spain.

In April, the Council of Europe Parliamentarians Assembly stated the concerns had increased significantly and made the decision, which asked the member states to the Council of Europe to “refrain from arrests in case there are concerns that the red bulletin is being abused”.

The Interpol is currently in the process of reforming the red bulletin procedures due to these calls.