Today was a great day for transparency and political freedom. INTERPOL refused to allow the Red Notices as requested by Egypt against the non-governmental workers who are currently sought for prosecution in Egypt. In so doing, INTERPOL issued a press release that was heartening for two reasons:
- It confirmed its dedication to its constitution, which clearly prohibits intervention in political matters. This was a highly publicized and pressure-intensive case, and INTERPOL did the right thing in a relatively short period of time.
- INTERPOL offered to receive fact-checking inquiries from anyone regarding specific cases where INTERPOL’s involvement is suspected, but not known. The purpose of the offer is to avoid speculation and rumour about INTERPOL’s involvement in such matters. INTERPOL’s availablity for verification of information is critical for journalists, lawyers, and others who closely follow INTERPOL-related activities. Absent such availability, speculation is often the only alternative.
Congratulations to the NGO’s, and good on ya to INTERPOL.
As always, thoughts and comments are welcomed.