Posted on by Insights Editor
Print Friendly, PDF & Email

Interpol

Topics Covered: Important International institutions, agencies and fora, their structure, mandate.

Interpol:

Context:

Fugitive diamantaire Mehul Choksi, who had recently fled from Antigua and Barbuda, was captured in neighbouring Dominica after an Interpol Yellow Notice was issued against him.

  • Choksi had been living in Antigua and Barbuda since 2018 after taking the citizenship. He is wanted in a ₹13,500-crore loan fraud in Punjab National Bank.

(Note: we need to learn about Interpol and various notices issued by it from this article; nothing much).

What is Interpol?

  • The International Criminal Police Organisation, or Interpol, is a 194-member intergovernmental organisation.
  • headquarteredin Lyon, France.
  • Formed in 1923 as the International Criminal Police Commission, and started calling itself Interpol in 1956.
  • India joined the organisation in 1949, and is one of its oldest members.

Interpol’s declared global policing goals include:

  • Countering terrorism, promoting border integrity worldwide, protection of vulnerable communities, providing a secure cyberspace for people and businesses, curbing illicit markets, supporting environment security, and promoting global integrity.

 

What is the Interpol General Assembly?

  • It is Interpol’s supreme governing body, and comprises representatives from all its member countries.
  • It meets annually for a session lasting approximately four days, to vote on activities and policy.
  • Each country is represented by one or more delegates at the Assembly, who are typically chiefs of law enforcement agencies.
  • The Assembly also elects the members of the Interpol Executive Committee, the governing body which “provides guidance and direction in between sessions of the Assembly”.

 

InstaCurious:

  • Did you know like Interpol (which is a non-UN body), there is something called The United Nations Police (UNPOL). There is an Europol
  • And there is UNODC. Read what’s it about Here. (Remember to read only a few introductory lines about these organisations. Please don’t dig deep).

 

InstaLinks:

Prelims Link:

  1. Who is a fugitive economic offender?
  2. What is Interpol.
  3. Various notices issued.
  4. Overview of Interpol’s crime programmes.

Sources: the Hindu.