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WORLD NEWS Thursday 22 November 2018

South Korean named Interpol president in blow to Russia

By AYA BATRAWY sue requests — known as
ANGELA CHARLTON "diffusions" — that flag a
Associated Press person wanted for arrest
DUBAI, United Arab Emir- before Interpol reviews the
ates (AP) — Interpol elect- notice, leading to what
ed a South Korean as the critics say is a major flaw
organization's president on and loophole in the system.
Wednesday, edging out a "We accept the fact that
veteran of Russia's security systems can be improved
services who was strongly and recognize that a very
opposed by the United small number of non-com-
States, Britain and other Eu- pliant red notices can seri-
ropean nations. ously affect the lives of in-
Kim Jong Yang's surprise nocent citizens," Stock said.
election was seen as a vic- Stock said that red notices
tory for the White House and diffusions have helped
and its European partners, lead to the arrest of 10,000
who had lobbied up until serious criminals this year
the final hours before the alone, nearly 200 of them
vote against Alexander suspected terrorists.
Prokopchuk's bid to be Critics say countries like
named the policing organi- Russia, Turkey, Egypt, Iran
zation's next president. and China have used the
The U.S. and others ex- In this Jan. 23, 2018, photo, Kim Jong Yang, the senior vice president of Interpol executive system to try to round up
pressed concern that if Rus- committee, speaks during a press conference in Changwon, South Korea. political opponents, jour-
sia's candidate had been Associated Press nalists or activists.
elected, that would have Interpol faced criticism two
led to further Kremlin abus- states voted or how many munity and making its work Lyon, the 95-year-old polic- years ago when its mem-
es of Interpol's red notice votes Kim received. He will more effective." ing body is best known for ber states approved Meng
system to go after political serve until 2020, complet- Most of Interpol's 194 mem- issuing "red notices" that as president for a four-year
opponents and fugitive dis- ing the four-year mandate ber-countries attended the identify suspects pursued term. Amnesty Internation-
sidents. of his predecessor, Meng organization's annual as- by other countries, effec- al has criticized "China's
Russia accused its critics of Hongwei, who was de- sembly this year, held in an tively putting them on the longstanding practice of
running a "campaign to dis- tained in China as part of a opulent Dubai hotel along world's "most-wanted" list. trying to use Interpol to ar-
credit" its candidate, call- wide anti-corruption sweep the Persian Gulf coast. Interpol's rules prohibit the rest dissidents and refugees
ing Prokopchuk a respect- there. Interpol had faced a piv- use of police notices for po- abroad."
ed professional. Kim, a police official in otal moment in its history as litical reasons. Still, member countries can
Groups campaigning to South Korea, served as delegates decided wheth- In 2016, Interpol introduced issue requests directly to
clean up Interpol celebrat- interim president after er to hand its presidency new measures aimed at other countries using Inter-
ed the win, as did South Meng's detention and was to Prokopchuk or Kim, the strengthening the legal pol's communication sys-
Korea. South Korea's police also senior vice president at only two candidates for the framework around the red tem, without going through
and Foreign Ministry issued Interpol. post. notice system, including the centralized Interpol vet-
a joint statement saying Russia's Interior Ministry Interpol Secretary General bringing on an internation- ting in place for red notic-
Kim's election is a "national said after the vote that Jurgen Stock told reporters al team of lawyers and ex- es. Watchdog groups are
triumph" that could elevate Prokopchuk, one of three in Dubai later on Wednes- perts that first check a no- urging Interpol to reform
the country's international vice presidents at Inter- day that a president's na- tice's compliance with In- the diffusion system too.
standing. pol, will remain in that po- tionality does not affect the terpol rules and regulations Bill Browder, who runs an
Kim's win also means he se- sition. Spokeswoman Irina organization's neutrality. before it goes out. Interpol investment fund that had
cured at least two-thirds of Volk told the Interfax news "It is fundamental to Inter- also says it enhanced the once operated in Moscow,
votes cast at Interpol's gen- agency that Prokopchuk pol's existence that we are work of an appeals body says Russia used the diffu-
eral assembly in Dubai on will "focus on advancing neutral and that we are in- for those targeted with red sion system against him,
Wednesday. Interpol does the stature of Interpol in the dependent," he said. notices. which led to his brief arrest
not release how member international police com- Based in the French city of However, countries can is- in Spain earlier this year.q