61. In the last five years, INTERPOL has also come under scrutiny by international and regional bodies. The UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders, Michel Forst, has shared his concerns in the context of the review of CCF procedures (described in more detail below) while the UN Committee against Torture has twice met with INTERPOL representatives to discuss matters relating to torture which arise in relation to INTERPOL alerts. 62. In October 2014, the Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (“the PACE Committee”) resolved to produce a report – Abusive use of the Interpol system: The need for more stringent legal safeguards (“PACE Report”) – under the rapporteurship of then German MP Bernd Fabritius.48 The Committee conducted a lengthy and diligent examination of INTERPOL’s operations, seeking input from INTERPOL, civil society organisations, victims of abusive INTERPOL alerts and lawyers during three hearings in May 2015, May 2016 and December 2016 respectively.49 While the report and resolution were not adopted until April 2017,50 after the reforms described below were adopted, the very fact of its drafting taking place during such a critical period in the reform process was likely a contributing factor. The Committee’s report and resolution set out a number of recommendations which will certainly help to inform future developments, as discussed in more detail below. Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (‘PACE’), Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights, ‘Abusive use of the Interpol System: the need for more stringent legal safeguards’, Reference 4074 of 3 October 2014 49 PACE, ‘Two PACE committees to meet in Rome’ (12 May 2016) Available at: http://assembly.coe.int/nw/xml/News/News-View-en.asp?newsid=6158&lang=2 ; and ‘Improving the effectiveness of Interpol to ensure respect for human rights’ (14 December 2016) Available at: http://assembly.coe. int/nw/xml/News/News-View-en.asp?newsid=6459&lang=2 50 PACE Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights, ‘Abusive use of the Interpol System: the need for more stringent legal safeguards’, Reference 4074 of 3 October 2014, Doc/ 14277 (29 March 2017) (‘PACE Report’); See also Fair Trials, ‘Council of Europe denounces political abuses of INTERPOL’ (3 May 2017) Available at: https://www.fairtrials.org/council-of-europe-denounces-political-abuses-of-interpol/ 48 30