Dismantling the Tools ofreport Oppression INTERPOL 2018 3. In 2013, Fair Trials called upon INTERPOL to take action to improve the protection of its systems from abuse. In a detailed report – Strengthening respect for human rights, strengthening INTERPOL (“Strengthening INTERPOL”) – we used real-life cases to illustrate the problem and propose solutions. These focused on what we considered to be INTERPOL’s key vulnerabilities: 5. This report provides a brief background to INTERPOL’s main functions and rules (Part B), summarises Fair Trials’ concerns and recommendations (Part C), explains the context in which INTERPOL has recognised the need for reform of its systems (Part D), provides a detailed analysis of the reforms which have been put in place (Part E) and identifies priorities for future action (Part F). a. INTERPOL’s interpretation of its own constitutional commitments to political neutrality and human rights; b. the inadequacy of the systems in place to detect and prevent non-compliant INTERPOL alerts from being circulated; and c. the ineffectiveness of the remedies available to people who believe they are subject to an unjust INTERPOL alert. 2 4. The recommendations which we proposed have underpinned a campaign for the reform of INTERPOL which has engaged civil society, the media, inter-governmental institutions, international human rights bodies, and crucially INTERPOL itself. We are delighted now to report on the steps which INTERPOL has taken, not only to prevent the circulation of abusive INTERPOL alerts but also to offer a meaningful avenue of redress for innocent people who should not be on INTERPOL’s databases. An overview of the reforms adopted to date is provided at Table 1. Fair Trials, ‘Strengthening respect for human rights, strengthening INTERPOL’ (November 2013) Available at: https://www.fairtrials.org/wp-content/uploads/ Strengthening-respect-for-human-rights- strengthening-INTERPOL4.pdf 2 7