Not too far in the future, INTERPOL's General Assembly will gather in Rome for its annual meeting. The General Assembly is charged with making decisions about how the organization will be run in the coming year, and considers everything from general policy matters to resources to electing the members of the Executive Committee. From November 5- November 8, the General Assembly will consider these issues, among others.
This year, we humbly request that the General Assembly acknowledge that the Commission for the Control of INTERPOL's Files (CCF) is in need of additional resources. The time it takes to obtain a response to some appeals for relief can be excruciating for attorney and client alike. Were there more resources made available to the CCF, the rapidly rising number of Red Notice challenges could be more efficiently addressed, and in a more timely fashion. When we say "more resources," here's what we mean:
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More staff. By increasing the number of staff assigned to the CCF, cases will be reviewed and prepared for sessions at a quicker rate than is currently the case.
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More sessions. The CCF has been meeting three times per year, which is the minimum number of sessions allowed per year according to INTERPOL's rules. By increasing the number of sessions, CCF members would be allowed more time for the consideration of individual requests for relief.
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More funding. As the number of Red Notices (and other notices, for that matter) increase, the number of requests for relief increase as well. Funding must increase in an amount that is commensurate with the demands placed on the CCF if it is to function effectively.
An increase in these resources would also serve as an opportunity for INTERPOL to lend credence to its stated goal of respecting the rights of individuals and ensuring that its member countries are acting in compliance with INTERPOL's governing rules and texts.
As always, thoughts and comments are welcomed.
