INTERPOL Red Notice Abuse: Whistleblowers Have Rights Too
It has been reported that INTERPOL has refused to cooperate with Russia in the case of Grigory Rodchenkov, the former head of Russia’s anti-doping laboratory-turned-whistleblower. Mr. Rochenkov has publicly accused the Russian government of running a doping scheme during the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi. Mr. Rodchenkov’s case may look like just another government trying to abuse INTERPOL’s resources to persecute a political opponent. However, it stands out because the target of the red notice is a whistleblower wanted not because of his political beliefs but because as a previous insider, he witnessed and exposed the government’s misconduct.
Mr. Rodchenkov’s story prompted the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) to investigate the allegations. Mr. Rodchenkov’s story is described in media reports and the Academy Award-winning documentary “Icarus.” After Mr. Rodchenkov went public with his story, the Russian government filed criminal charges against him. He managed to leave the country, and Russian law enforcement sought INTERPOL’s cooperation in locating him and bringing him back.
INTERPOL’s rules don’t specifically address the red notice abuse against whistleblowers. Nevertheless, there is no doubt that the INTERPOL Constitution and the organization’s regulations based on it protect whistleblowers to the same degree they protect politicians, activists, reporters, entrepreneurs, and other individuals who often become victims of politically motivated criminal charges. Mr. Rodchenkov’s case proves that to comply with its Constitution, which strictly prohibits INTERPOL from undertaking any activity of a political nature, it is crucial for the organization to protect whistleblowers from the abuse of its resources.
