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Alan Stevenson detention is ‘an abuse of his rights’ Radha Stirling, CEO of Detained in Dubai explains that,“Alan's case is emblematic of what has been happening with ever greater frequency from the Gulf states. “Interpol has been hijacked by authoritarian regimes around the world who abuse the red notice system to persecute political opponents, dissidents, independent journalists, and private individuals over financial disputes.” Ms Stirling said that countries such as Qatar and the United Arab Emirates led the world in wrongful “red notice” requests for debt collection, which was an abuse of Interpol rules." Read more at The Royal Gazette Here www.radhastirling.com www.detainedindubai.org

An Emirati’s potential appointment as Interpol head draws criticism The UAE is one of the biggest abusers of the interpol database, which is used to issue Red Warrants for arresting people in other countries. The Interpol’s credibility is once again on the line as a top Emirati cop is vying to become the head of the international police agency. The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has proposed that its police chief, Major General Nasser Ahmed al Raisi, be appointed for a four-year term as the next head of the International Criminal Police Organisation (Interpol). “This is a mockery of Interpol if they appoint him as a director,” says Radha Stirling, founder of the consultancy Detained in Dubai, which helps people facing issues with the UAE law. The UAE is one of the biggest abusers of the Interpol database and is behind regular issuance of the Red Notices, she tells TRT World. Raisi already sits on an Interpol executive committee and the UAE will host the next general assembly where the decision for the next Interpol head will be announced. Issued by Interpol from its headquarters in Lyon, France, a Red Notice is like an international arrest warrant that is circulated about its 194 member countries. Stirling, who has been helping people for 12 years in dealing with Red Notices made on the insistence of the UAE, says most of the cases involve credit card and mortgage defaults. The Notices are generally reserved for serious criminal offenders. But the UAE has increasingly used Interpol as an international debt collector. In some cases, people who have a Red Warrant against them don’t even know about it. They find out only when they are questioned or detained at border checks such as the immigration at airports. Over the years, there has been a sharp increase in the number of Red Notices, aided by online communication, which has allowed governments to quickly share information. Another reason has to do with the increase in use of social media apps such as Twitter and Facebook that have magnified the voice of political dissidents who can spearhead their campaigns from other countries. Raisi’s proposal is particularly worrying for rights activists as he is accused of overseeing torture of people detained in the UAE. Matthew Hedges, a Durham University student from the UK, accuses Raisi of being directly involved in his torture. Hedges was detained for months after his arrest on spying charges for British intelligence. He was later freed. Crisis of credibility In recent years, fingers have been pointed at Interpol’s credibility especially after the arrest of its former head, Meng Hongwei, the first Chinese national to head the law enforcement outfit. Hongwei was a well-known Chinese police officer and involved in Beijing’s anti-graft efforts. But within two years of being appointed as Interpol director in 2016, he was arrested by the Chinese authorities for taking $2 million in bribes. He is facing more than 13 years in prison. Similarly, Jackie Selebi, a South African police officer had to step down as head of the global police force in 2008 after he was charged for taking bribes from a convicted drug trafficker. Besides having to deal with a reputational crisis because of controversial appointments, there has been a growing concern that countries with poor human rights record want the coveted post to go after political dissidents. Stirling says the public in the United States, UK and European countries could pressure their governments to break ties with Interpol if it decides to appoint Raisi as its head. “The only reason I see why UAE is being considered is because it is a major financial contributor. So it’s like it has made a bid for the job.” read the full story at TRT World here

INTERPOL’s global reputation been damaged over the last decade due to their negligence in allowing member countries to misuse the international law enforcement organisation. More specifically, serious questions have been raised regarding transparency, as Interpol’s top funders have proven to also be the leading abusers of its system. Interpol, as an international organisation, has largely escaped accountability through its complex setup and a level of inaccessibility that amounts to immunity from scrutiny or redress. Interpol’s primary role is to communicate information between countries, often with a view to requesting a country to process an arrest and extradition of a wanted individual, through their domestic legal system. No comprehensive mechanism exists, however, to hold Interpol accountable to the public; and there is no “presumption of innocence” in the reporting process, nor even a substantial burden of proof required before an individual finds himself or herself listed on the Interpol database. The public, any member of whom may wind up subjected to a Red or Blue Notice by Interpol, has no means of oversight and no channel for compensation if they have been wrongfully listed. Interpol is only accountable to its member countries who provide hundreds of millions of dollars in donations every year. Interpol has previously had to refund donations to FIFA and has accepted donations from the private sector, including from corporate giant Phillip Morris, causing widespread controversy respecting their independence. It is more controversial however, to accept donations from countries who have the access and ability to report wanted persons. Interpol has vested interests in maintaining relations with all member states and has been reluctant to discipline countries who are known to abuse the system. Why would Interpol seek to risk an annual £50 million donation by requesting a country like the UAE to stop them from wrongfully reporting credit card debt as fraud? It is only the individuals who fall victim to this abuse after all and they are unlikely to be able to make Interpol compensate them. Interpol Abuse has been investigated and reported by Al Jazeera, Qatar’s own independent news broadcaster, in“ People and Power ”, where a number of cases were discussed, while Fair Trials International & Detained in Dubai have been campaigning for an end to Interpol Abuse for a number of years. Radha Stirling , founder of Detained in Dubai and Detained in Doha , has been assisting clients remove their name from Interpol’s databases for over ten years. She also acts as an expert witness in extradition cases worldwide. Ms Stirling said “There are three most common types of Interpol abuse. The first is where a civil matter, business dispute, credit card debt or bounced cheque, is reported to Interpol under the inaccurate category of “fraud”. Interpol accepts the report without question. “The second involves reporting journalists, bloggers or those with a public opinion that does not support a government in power, as “terrorists” or similar. In most instances, the individual concerned is outside of the reporting country, exercising their free speech. Interpol accepts the report without question. “The third involves completely fabricated allegations that are reported to Interpol by people who make use of a more corrupt or backward government’s legal system to make false reports for the purpose of extortion or even for spite, knowing that ultimately, the report will be removed but that it will cause the reported party to be temporarily detained. This is more common in less developed countries. Interpol accepts the report without question. “Once Interpol accepts and circulates a notice, it will likely lead to the arrest and detention of the subject. If the notice is a result of one of the “abuse categories” noted above, that person will need to apply for the cancellation of the notice. Interpol allows themselves anywhere up to nine months, but can extend the timeframe if they choose to. Remaining on Interpol’s database as a victim of abuse for such lengthy periods of time often leads to the loss of employment or business transactions, the inability to obtain residency visas or continue with normal plans, damage to one’s reputation, high legal costs, emotional trauma, PTSD and an unquantifiable personal toll.” Interpol is coming under increased public demand to penalise member countries who repetitively abuse Interpol’s system. Interpol needs to have a processing department that reviews preliminary supporting evidence before listing a report and penalise member countries who are repeat offenders. Member countries should also be financially penalised if upon review, Interpol agrees to remove a notice and those who are wrongfully reported, should be compensated. It is clear that Interpol’s timeframes for dealing with removal requests are irresponsible and abusive in themselves. The removal of wrongful Interpol reports should be their absolute priority. No victim of abuse should remain on the database for any more time than absolutely necessary. If Interpol does not clean up their system and ensure innocent people are not persecuted, they will be made accountable through the courts and will be forced to change. Qatar and UAE banks still criminalise debt. Expatriates who are made redundant or have an unexpected change of circumstances are forced to flee so as to avoid custodial sentences. Most debtors are keen to repay their obligations from abroad once they have resettled, but banks have little tolerance for any disruption and will approach debt recovery aggressively, employing illegal tactics like harassment of family, friends, colleagues or personnel at a new place of employment. The debtor will often offer what they can afford on a monthly basis but the bank will not accept it. Their next pressure tactic will be the use of Interpol. After securing a local criminal conviction, the bank will escalate a debt to Interpol, reporting it as “fraud”. Interpol should not have a single bank debt on their database but have accepted notices for credit card debts as low as €15,000 Euros. In the past two years, there have been a number of arrests as a result of a bank’s malicious report including a woman in Italy, two in Germany and one in Sweden. Stirling continued “innocent people are being jailed for up to 45 days over credit card debts because Interpol has failed in their duty of care to the public. Even after the 45 days in prison, they still have to wait up to a year to have their name cleared. It’s a devastating situation for the victims and a huge embarrassing failure for Interpol. If Interpol can not even prevent basic atrocities, how can they be respected as a competent data provider? “We continue to encourage countries like Qatar and the UAE to self regulate, but there is little incentive when Interpol itself is not enforcing its own charter”. Anyone who believes they may be at risk of an Interpol notice should seek confidential expert advice as soon as possible to either prevent escalation or to remove an existing notice. #DetainedinDubai #DetainedinDoha #Doha #Qatar #InterpolAbuse #WrongfulInterpol #Extradition #Dubai #UAE #MiddleEast #Debt #DebtorsPrison #InterpolRedNotice #DebtNegotiation #RadhaStirling #InterpolRemoval

Interpol has come under increased scrutiny over the past decade, as countries notorious for human rights violations, have abused their membership with Interpol to expand their powers of arrest beyond their borders, resulting in countless arrests that never should have happened. Interpol and Extradition Expert Radha Stirling, who founded Detained in Dubai, IPEX Reform, and the Gulf in Justice Podcast, has been the most outspoken critic of Interpol since she took on her first case of “Interpol abuse” in 2008. Stirling has worked closely with policy and legislative advisors, think tanks and political figures in Washington DC, to encourage the United States to demand policy changes within Interpol that would stop corruption, pay to play scenarios, Interpol abuse, and the misuse of Interpol by countries like China, Russia, Turkey, Egypt, the UAE, Saudi, Bahrain and Qatar who are notorious for abusing the crime organisation by listing journalists, dissidents, debtors and those who individuals seek to harass or extort on the red notice database. After recent reports that an Emirati accused of human rights abuses and torture was being considered for appointment as the President of Interpol, the Heritage Foundation published a white paper by Ted R. Bromund, PhD encouraging the United States to promote democratic leadership within Interpol. Radha Stirling, who just fought off a Qatar extradition request of a Scottish man for carrying a legal herb grinder from Australia to the UK, commented on the progress “It’s clear that the United States government is taking the issue of Interpol Abuse seriously. “US citizens who have been listed on Interpol’s red notice database have been allowed to enter the USA without being detained.  In fact, airport authorities have advised Interpol “fugitives” to deal with the red notice and be careful traveling to other countries in the meantime.  These actions alone show the US government is aware and authorities are briefed that Interpol notices from the Middle East should not be taken too seriously. “Sadly, not all countries are as informed.  In other cases of Interpol abuse, we have seen innocent victims locked up in foreign prisons for weeks, months and even in excess of a year as they fight protracted extradition proceedings.  Even when they are ultimately released, they are not compensated.  Where the red notice was found to be abusive, all Interpol has done is remove the notice.  They have not compensated the victim and nor have they sanctioned or terminated the membership of the abusive country. “I’m pleased think tanks like the influential DC based Heritage Foundation are supporting our calls for reform.  Heritage has called for the US to pressure a democratic process to elect the President of Interpol from “law abiding” democracies.  This would hopefully eliminate Interpol’s tendency to appoint leaders from oppressive regimes like China and the UAE who are notorious for serious Interpol abuse and human rights violations. “Heritage supports our opposition to the appointment of the UAE’s Major General Ahmed Nasser Al-Raisi as President, which would make an absolute mockery of the already damaged reputation of Interpol. “Scandals, corruption, donations from countries with atrocious human rights records, with the Chinese former President’s arrest, with the Hakeem Al Araibi ordeal, with Robert Urwin, Alan Stevenson, Conor Howard and now the appointment of an Emirati General accused of torture, the organisation can not take much more before it is abandoned by members like the United States. “Interpol’s integrity is at the cliff’s edge, and the appointment of Ahmed Nasser Al-Raisi would topple it right over. “With increasing support in the United States for reform, change is inevitable if the organisation is to survive.”

“After thirteen years and thousands of cases of injustice, it’s encouraging to see Dubai making steps toward positive change. Some of these changes were long overdue and we are keen to see them in operation, while others are the public relations endeavours of a country in serious economic hardship. “It’s a positive step to oblige arresting officers to have a translator present if a subject doesn’t speak Arabic, but the conspicuous absence of procedural laws for police investigators and prosecutors means that the issues most tourists encounter will remain. A translator at the point of the arrest does not protect individuals from the common issue of forced confessions in Arabic and a case will not be dismissed because of a failure to follow this law at the point of arrest. “In a city where prostitution is rife and cohabitation common, finally legalising consensual sex is a positive step towards preventing unnecessary criminal prosecutions, though there is no specification as to whether adultery violations will still be criminal and when there are conflicting laws, which will prevail. “It is illegal to commit suicide in the UAE and people who have tried to kill themselves in the past, have been arrested, prosecuted and jailed. This is a disgraceful treatment of people who need help, but the UAE held off from decriminalising suicide. Instead, the courts have offered a possible alternative to jail, a treatment institution. Either way, anyone who attempts suicide will be ordered by the court into a prison or an institution. “A number of expats have become suicidal when their passports have been confiscated and they have been forced to stay in the country but not allowed to work. Foreigners are at risk of homelessness if they are made redundant and default on any financial obligations which prevent them from leaving the country and from working. They become stuck in an endless cycle. “Alcohol laws have been relaxed to ease prohibitions of muslims drinking, but the main issue for foreigners with alcohol, has been that it remains illegal to have any blood alcohol content in public and people are often arrested and charged with alcohol related crimes. If someone makes a frivolous police report, the subject can be charged with alcohol related crimes, even if unrelated to the core of the issue. This abuse will not stop. The prevalence of alcohol throughout the UAE paints a picture that alcohol is legal when in fact, anyone can be charged with alcohol possession if they have been drinking. Tourists should never consider that Dubai is Ibiza. “There were no changes to protect investors, entrepreneurs and expat workers and no changes to decriminalise debt and eliminate travel bans. We still have a number of expats who are stuck in the UAE now, on the basis of outdated laws. “These are steps in the right direction, but in no way are they comprehensive protections for visitors and expats. The UAE has been scrutinised for serious human rights violations, wrongful arrests, arbitrary detentions, the outright theft of foreign investment, money laundering, and torture. “These are great headlines for the Emirates but should not make tourists or investors feel any safer for the time being. “The UAE’s cybercrime laws that see visitors jailed for facebook posts, tweets, promoting charities or “insulting behaviour” have seen numerous foreigners arrested. Laleh Shahravesh was arrested for calling someone a “horse face” while she lived in England. An American woman was arrested for asking for her wages, and Scott Richards for promoting a charity cause on Facebook. The UAE remains a minefield for foreigners and short holidays can turn into permanent stays at the click of a finger. “We will continue to see legal abuse, arbitrary arrests, business theft, debt hostages, and human rights violations in the Emirate but we hope over time, the UAE becomes a safer place for all.” https://www.radhastirling.com/ www.detainedindubai.org

Interpol Abuse Expert appalled as Interpol, once again, puts its credibility on the line with leaked documents revealing Emirati bid for presidency. Emirati security chief Major General Nasser Ahmed al-Raisi has made a bid to become the new head of Interpol. Veteran Interpol and Extradition expert Radha Stirling, issued a statement today: “Interpol is complicit in numerous and serious human rights abuses and will soon be held to account. Interpol has become a pay to play organisation, open to manipulation and abuse by countries with poor human rights records. Countries like the UAE, Saudi, Qatar, Bahrain, Iran, Turkey, Russia, Egypt and China have been able to use the crime tool for their own personal vendettas. Countries like the Emirates have used Interpol’s reach to extend their jurisdiction beyond their borders, causing the arrest, detention and prosecution abroad of many innocent victims. Innocent individuals have been listed on Interpol, arrested, detained and tried for “crimes” that don’t even meet Interpol’s minimum reporting criteria. Journalists, activists, businessmen and credit card debtors have been locked up in Western nations at the mere request of countries who repeatedly take advantage of their membership with Interpol. “Western countries do not make civilian arrests because they trust the United Arab Emirates. They make arrests because of their relationship with, and trust for, Interpol. Such trust has been terribly misplaced and abused, making a mockery of the entire crime agency and putting people’s lives at risk. The UAE has been the top abuser of Interpol in the Gulf region, reporting victims to Interpol as international fugitives to either punish or extort them and what’s worse, Interpol knows it. Every time Interpol cancels a red notice, they are made aware that the notice should never have been issued in the first place. But do they punish or sanction the issuing country? No. Do they compensate the victim? No. Do they continue to cooperate with and accept millions from that country? Yes. It is no surprise that while the UAE is one of Interpol’s largest abusers, it is also one of Interpol’s largest donors. “The former President of Interpol represented China, before his arrest. China has been criticised for its own abuse of Interpol’s database, and now we have the UAE making a bid for the job. Interpol’s credibility is already at an all time low, with Hollywood movies failing to counter the growing awareness that Interpol is just a pawn, submitting to extreme exploitation by rogue nations for cash. “The United Kingdom, along with a majority of Western nations, have refused to extradite to the United Arab Emirates because of the ‘real risk of human rights violations and unfair trials’. It is astonishing enough that countries with clear and repeated abuse of Interpol’s protocols have membership and a seat at the board but the potential appointment of Major General Nasser Ahmed al-Raisi though, would be sufficient cause for Western nations to fully withdraw all financial support for the crime body. If you can’t imagine the impact Interpol has on real lives, think Hakeem Al Araibi, Bahareh Zare Bahari, Robert Urwin and Alan Stevenson. Imagine being arrested and prosecuted in Greece, Ukraine, Thailand, Philippines on the basis of a frivolous Interpol request from an abusive country. Imagine being swarmed by a police squad at a restaurant in Rome, humiliated, jailed and forced to undergo extradition proceedings. This is what we are dealing with. Countries like Saudi, Qatar and the UAE are enabled to abuse individuals in the West, without consequence, without penalty and even worse, at our own expense. This has to stop. “The US, UK & EU countries simply can not continue to support an agency, headed by an Emirati who has been personally accused of human rights abuses and torture, without risking lawsuits. If Western nations continue to support the organisation and act on its red notices, while being fully aware of the levels of abuse, they may find themselves liable to damages. We are finalising our recommendations to Interpol and advice to Western governments” Radha Stirling is the founder of Detained in Dubai and IPEX Reform. Established by Radha Stirling, founder and CEO of Detained in Dubai, and a leading voice against Interpol abuse, Interpol and Extradition Reform (IPEX) is a comprehensive initiative to address the widespread and multilayered problems with the current framework of the extradition process, including the many flaws in Interpol itself as an organisation. Radha Stirling has successfully lobbied Australian Parliament to include human rights provisions in their extradition treaty with the UAE, appeared for the defence as an expert witness in several high profile extradition cases and has worked tirelessly to remove wrongfully listed clients from Interpol’s database. She has led the call for greater Interpol transparency and reforms to end abuse by an emerging “authoritarian nexus” which misuses the Interpol Red Notice system to circumvent due process. ​ IPEX demands that Interpol implement practical measures to ensure the protection of refugees from politically motivated malicious extradition requests, including the establishment of data sharing agreements with the UNHCR and national governments so that individuals who have been granted asylum will not be put at risk of extradition to the countries from which they have fled. This proposal is currently supported by prominent barristers in the United Kingdom, human rights organisations, and activists.

Conor Howard, a young Scottish man has been detained for extradition in Greece and faces deportation to Qatar over an herb grinder found in his luggage while transiting through Doha last year. Radha Stirling, founder of Detained in Dubai and Due Process International has been helping the family. Stirling is an Interpol and Extradition expert specialising in Interpol notices from the Middle East with over a decade's experience. Stirling says Qatar is one of the most prevalent abusers of Interpol's databases and that Western nations should not be making arrests on their behalf. The British government has been lobbied to intervene in this case which Kenny MacAskill emphasises, is not a legal matter but a diplomatic matter. #FreeConor #InterpolAbuse #RadhaStirling #KennyMacAskill #DetainedinDoha #Qatar #Greece #Scotland #BBC

BBC Scotland interviews Radha Stirling and Kenny MacAskill MP on the arrest of Conor Howard in Corfu, Greece on a Qatar issued Interpol Red Notice. Conor Howard, a young Scottish man has been detained for extradition in Greece and faces deportation to Qatar over an herb grinder found in his luggage while transiting through Doha last year. Radha Stirling, founder of Detained in Dubai and Due Process International has been helping the family. Stirling is an Interpol and Extradition expert specialising in Interpol notices from the Middle East with over a decade's experience. Stirling says Qatar is one of the most prevalent abusers of Interpol's databases and that Western nations should not be making arrests on their behalf. The British government has been lobbied to intervene in this case which Kenny MacAskill emphasises, is not a legal matter but a diplomatic matter. #FreeConor

Veteran lawyer, Secretary for Justice and MP, Kenny MacAskill discusses Conor Howard's detention in Greece over a Qatar arrest warrant with Interpol & Extradition expert Radha Stirling on the Gulf in Justice Podcast Conor Howard, a young Scottish man has been detained for extradition in Greece and faces deportation to Qatar over an herb grinder found in his luggage while transiting through Doha last year. Qatari authorities released him at the time, but inexplicably issued an international arrest warrant against him.  He was detained last week in Greece while visiting his parents. Radha speaks with Conor's MP, Kenny MacAskill about the case and what is being done, not only to help Conor, but to ensure that British citizens will no longer be subjected to frivolous Interpol notices issued by abusive countries like Qatar. #ConorHoward #FreeConor

Czech court rules detention of dual British / Australian citizen Alan Stevenson was a violation of human rights; calling into question the legitimacy of Interpol’s Red Notice system due to widespread abuse by authoritarian regimes around the world. Stevenson was held due to claims of unpaid debt in Qatar, despite owing no money. Stirling vows to pursue all legal avenues for justice. Alan’s case is emblematic of what has been happening with ever greater frequency from the Gulf States. Interpol has been hijacked by authoritarian regimes around the world who abuse the Red Notice system to persecute political opponents, dissidents, independent journalists, and private individuals over financial disputes. Countries like Qatar and the UAE lead the world in wrongful Red Notice requests for the purpose of debt collection – something that violates Interpol’s own protocols. In Alan’s case, the claim of unpaid debt was entirely unevidenced, and Qatar did not substantiate the charge when Czech authorities requested proof. Law enforcement officials around the world comply with Red Notices because of their relationship with Interpol, not because of their relationships with the countries requesting the Notices; so, like in Alan’s case, people get detained very often without evidence, simply on the basis of a country’s respect for Interpol. When a Red Notice is subsequently deemed invalid, people whose lives have been turned upside down by detention and extradition procedures are just expected to shrug and move on. By challenging the legality of his detention, Alan is helping to change the state of play with the way countries deal with these Notices. The Constitutional Court of the Czech Republic has determined that his incarceration was a violation of his human rights as guaranteed by the UDHR, and they are correct. Interpol has allowed itself to be manipulated, exploited, and used as, essentially, an instrument of financial extortion, not to mention political repression; and this has to stop. Interpol is not vetting Red Notice requests from known abusers of the system, and innocent people are paying the price. Interpol accepted the bogus Red Notice request against Alan from Qatar, and so Czech officials are now guilty of human rights violations because they trusted Interpol. We have been leading the call for years for reform of Interpol’s protocols and for greater transparency. With Alan’s case, we intend to pursue every viable legal option to achieve not only justice and restitution for Alan Stevenson, but the enactment of fundamental changes in how Interpol deals with habitual abusers of the system and those authoritarian member governments with documented gross violations of human rights. Extradition to countries like the UAE, Qatar, Iran, China, Russia, and so on, should be unthinkable; their human rights records are abysmal and their legal systems are starkly below international standards of due process. Yet, they remain eligible for requesting Red Notices, even while in many cases, extradition will mean unjust detention, torture, and potentially death. The stakes are so high, but Interpol has no measures in place to vet requests. Alan’s case can be a watershed moment in this regard. If Interpol reforms, the residual impact could potentially incentivise countries to improve human rights conditions, due process standards, and governmental reforms around the world.

iPEX founder and CEO Radha Stirling specialises in the removal of Interpol Red Notices issued by abusive nations like Iran. Stirling has helped hundreds of Interpol abuse victims over the past decade and has campaigned for reforms to Interpol’s procedures and for sanctions against countries who continue to abuse the system, like Iran, the UAE, Qatar, Russia, China, Egypt and Turkey. Stirling is an expert witness on Interpol abuse in civil and extradition cases, and is part of a working group in DC lobbying for reforms and accountability for wrongful notices. Stirling commented on reports of Trump’s listing with Interpol: “Iran’s attempt to list the President of the United States and others involved in the drone strike that killed General Qassem Soleimani is a fantastic example of how susceptible the international organisation agency is to abuse by its member states. “The only thing Iran has achieved in this instance is showing up how Interpol is perhaps the only policing organisation that should be defunded by the US. The escalation of offensive actions against Americans by countries like China, Qatar, Saudi & the UAE is something that needs to be urgently put in check. Whether it is the planned murder of Americans, the abduction of citizens or the misuse of collaborative crime agency Interpol, the United States needs to end the escalation of aggression against its nationals and make agencies like Interpol accountable. “Iran treats Interpol like its own little politicised police force, to harass, threaten and cause the unfair detention of victims abroad.   Iranian beauty queen ​Bahareh Zare Bahari was detained in the Philippines on the basis of her support for opposition parties and though removed, neither Interpol nor Iran have their lesson. Interpol has zero checks and balances and their members know it. Interpol relies entirely on the member state to voluntarily abide by their charter and their lack of action against regular abusers, has raised allegations of corruption against the controversial agency. “When an Interpol victim challenges an abusive notice, Interpol will review the removal request and after nine months or more, finally remove the notice. They do not, however, sanction the country for repeat abuse which sends a very clear message to member states that Interpol is open for business and it’s a pay to play database. After the controversial arrest of Ms Bahari, Interpol might have considered suspending Iran’s membership but instead, they continue to accept frivolous, politically motivated red notices, leading to human rights violations and lengthy, wrongful detentions abroad. “Iran has issued notices against journalists, football players, businessmen, opposition supporters and now a head of state. In this case, they have succeeded at highlighting the urgent need for the reform of Interpol’s procedures and protocols in accepting notices from nations like Iran. “Interpol is funded by its member states and has little incentive to upset their donors, even if it means innocent victims are arrested or detained unfairly, for “crimes” such as journalism, credit card debts or for countries like Iran who seek to harass and cause individuals harm. “Interpol is already under review and pressure to reform its dangerously abusive procedures, and now they may face sanctions from the States.”

Summary: Pilots and cabin crew faced employment culling with hundreds let go after coronavirus lockdown. Airline staff face imprisonment and Interpol Red Notices over credit cards, loans and mortgages accrued during their service in the UAE. “It’s like a repeat of 2009, only worse”, said Radha Stirling, CEO of Detained in Dubai. “Last time the economy took a huge hit, pilots and cabin crew were amongst those most affected. Airline staff are actively targeted by big banks in the UAE for easy credit and mortgages, but for many, accepting these offers quickly backfired and turned into a nightmare. “Dubai’s economy is fragile. Any world crisis is going to impact air travel and staff will be laid off promptly, especially in a country where tourism is a major economic contributor. The banks are aware of this, they’ve seen it time and time again, but they themselves get bailed out when they over expose themselves so there’s little incentive for them to be careful.” “To customers, they claim the loans are covered by insurance so it appears quite risk free. If they are made redundant, the bank’s insurance will cover the debt. Why not take out a loan then? Why not take out a mortgage? It seems like a good idea and especially if they end up with a place in the sun! “After the world economic crisis, customers were awoken to the brutal reality that the banks did not care if they were apparently covered by insurance or not. When a customer was laid off by their employer and subsequently pleaded with the bank for an empathetic payment break, they were met with hostile debt collection agencies like Tahseel, who were more than happy to push the defaults all the way to imprisonment which, in fact, is a swift process of only three months. Their thinking is that the threat of jail will sufficiently frighten any relatives who may be able to help the debtor prevent imprisonment. “Of course, the threat of imprisonment only works when the customer remains in the country. 2009 saw a mass exodus of expats, dumping their cars at airports and even abandoning their apartments and villas. The future was uncertain, there was going to be no work and they couldn’t pay their obligations. Whether they left because they were going to become homeless, or whether it was because they knew they could be jailed, the effect on the banks was mass defaults. “Those who remained in the country, gambled that they would find alternative employment before entering into default. It was a huge gamble and the economic impact of the cornonavirus lockdown has been predicted already to surpass the turmoil of 2009. Those who do choose to remain in the country, risk being travel banned over their financial obligations. Hundreds of expats have been travel banned in the UAE over bank debts and the problem is, their passports are confiscated, their visas expire and they have no legal permission to work. How is anyone going to repay a bank debt in this situation? They’re not! That’s why we have people like Jonathan Castle and Morag Koussa who have been stuck there for years upon years, separated from their families and at risk of homelessness. “The UAE needs to reassess their approach to financial default. While I understand that loose credit regulations leave the banks open to deliberate fraud, most people are genuine with their intent. Keeping them, effectively prisoners in the country, is detrimental to its growth. It forces expats to abandon ship at the first sign of an economic downturn and the threat of jail means they can’t return if they are offered a new job later. It leaves Dubai counting on fresh blood to keep the wheels in motion, a bit like a Ponzi scheme. Eventually it runs out of steam. “Expats don’t really feel longevity in Dubai, not when their security can be so easily ripped from beneath them at the click of a finger. This is something the UAE needs to work on if they want to attract leading talent on a longer term basis. “Airline staff have already been laid off, with many more expecting to be next in line. Just in the past few days, I’ve received calls and emails from cabin crew nervous about what will happen next. They know they won’t be able to meet their financial obligations and face being out of employment indefinitely and are seeking advice on whether they will be listed on Interpol’s database as a fugitive. The answer is likely yes. “Most business sectors are suffering from the worldwide coronavirus frenzy and prolonged lockdown and when they leave the UAE, and leave their mortgages, loans and credit cards, the banks will resort to secondary enforcement tactics. They’ve missed out on firing their primary weapon, that of jail, so will resort to their backup arsenal, harassment and the dreaded Interpol Red Notice; for pilots, this is a nightmare! “Over the past decade, we have worked on unbelievable cases of criminal harassment from the banks and their agents. The extent that they are willing to go to is unfathomable to most, often even from branches of major international banks that would never be able to get away with this behaviour from their Western branches. The banks have either themselves, or through debt collection agencies, systematically harassed customers, their families and their new employers, often causing their termination, something one might consider counter-productive to recovering any monies owed. Nevertheless, they do not want a reputation for weakness to be perpetuated over the world. “On occasion, banks have flown staff out to turn up in person and try to meet with a customer. Emirates NBD I recall, flew a manager to meet with an Emirates captain at an airport in Germany to discuss his mortgage. They wouldn’t negotiate a reduction in his payments and preferred to report him to Interpol’s database. Fortunately for him, he was not flying internationally at the time but was stunned when later, he became a simulator instructor in Madrid and one day, found himself in a Spanish police station wondering why on earth the policía were treating him like an international fugitive. Over a mortgage? Really? “In Italy, an Emirates flight attendant was arrested on the basis of an Interpol Red Notice in Rome. She was detained for several days and processed for extradition, as though she were a mafia boss. Unbelievably, it was for a small credit card debt. She was placed under house arrest in a hotel, paid for by her, while she endured a lengthy trial. Ultimately, the extradition request was denied. But did the banks really want her returned to Dubai? No, they wanted to harass her and use the Interpol arrest warrant to pressure her into payments she simply couldn’t afford. If she couldn’t afford it then, she certainly couldn’t afford it after being slammed with legal and hotel bills. She is now awaiting to be removed from Interpol’s database and ridiculously, was just last week, surrounded by eight Italian polizia at a hotel restaurant because the notice’s removal is still being processed. She was mortified, embarrassed and rightfully angry at the bank. We are now looking at legal action against the bank. It is time they are made accountable. “Interpol can take up to nine months or more to remove notices, and there are no checks and balances when a red notice is issued from the UAE. To fit in with their reporting rules, banks will change the category from “debt” to “fraud” to ensure their notice is listed. They are effectively using Interpol as their own free debt collection and harassment agent. We have made Interpol aware of abusive practices, but they are heavily funded by countries like the UAE and Qatar and currently have no disciplinary procedures in place for abusive member states. “I fully expect to see a repeat of the devastation caused in 2009 and have cautioned expats to vacate the country rather than risking being jailed or travel banned. It is important to be proactive in addressing debt but, keep in mind, that the banks can be sneaky and once in default, they are no longer your friend. Once employment is terminated, bank customers should leave very quickly, before the employer notifies the bank. The mere notification of employment termination has caused banks to unfairly and suddenly call in loans or issue travel bans. “Businesspeople are also advised that banks are prone to unfairly calling in loans, simply because they need to increase their cash reserves. This can cause businesses to default and travel bans be issued for the Directors. Finally, those who stayed behind in 2009 in hope of salvaging their businesses or mitigating their exposure to banks, put themselves at risk of imprisonment for bounced cheques or defaults. There was no consideration for their goodwill and intents taken into account when they were sent to jail. Be diligent, foresee the risks and resolve business and finance issues from the safety of your own country.” Detained in Dubai was founded in 2008, helping and advising people in financial and commercial matters, litigation, Interpol and extradition.