Putin’s attempts to exploit western justice for his own ends are likely to become more frequent thanks to the election of Alexander Prokopchuk, the Russian government’s nominee, to the post of vice-president of Interpol in November. This decision is extraordinary, not least because Russia has become notorious for its abuse of the Interpol Red Notice system that entitles member states to have named suspects arrested anywhere in the world pending extradition to their own jurisdiction. Despite the fact that the organisation’s constitution obliges it to act in accordance with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and avoid involvement in political cases, Interpol has frequently allowed its Red Notice procedure to be used as an instrument of persecution by authoritarian regimes, especially Russia.
Many Russian extradition requests initiated with a Red Notice end up being declined by western courts because evidence is lacking or there is an obvious political motive. They nevertheless fulfill a vexatious purpose in putting pressure on their intended target. The levels of stress, disruption, insecurity and financial cost they bring are incalculable because Red Notices can remain active for years or they can be reissued with new charges attached at any time. This makes it impossible for victims of bogus requests to plan their futures with any certainty or travel abroad without fear of arrest. They constitute, in themselves, a form of punishment, which is of course the whole point. Putin wants his enemies to know that they will spend the rest of their lives looking over their shoulder.
Prokopchuk’s CV hardly gives cause for optimism that Interpol’s handling of applications from Russia is about to improve. For the past 10 years he has been head of the Russian interior ministry department dealing with Interpol affairs, a period that has seen a stream of apparently bogus and politically motivated Red Notice requests issued in the name of his government.
Before that, he was in charge of the division dealing with economic and tax crimes, considered by analysts to be the most corrupt area of Russian justice. It is here that politicians, organised criminals and opportunist officials have often given a veneer of legality to the seizure of property for personal gain. In cases of corporate raiding, legitimate business people find themselves arrested on fabricated charges of tax evasion or some other economic crime. While in detention, their businesses are taken over with the help of forged paperwork and corrupt judges. Those lucky enough to get out of Russia often end up being pursued with an Interpol Red Notice for good measure.
https://www.ft.com/content/8d2d213d-60a3-38ae-9004-f2cd1062f78e
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