2

TableofContents
Table of Contents 2
Land Acknowledgement 3
Letter from the USG of GA/SA 4
Letter from the Dias 6
Introduction 8
History and Governance 10
Sub-Topic 1: Political Abuse in Interpol 12
Abuse of the Notice System 12
Case Study: Russia’s exploitation of INTERPOL 15
Influence of Non-State Actors on Operations 17
Proposed reforms 20
Sub-Topic 2: The Role of Technology in Interpol 21
Use of AI in Law Enforcement 21
Dangers of AI in Law Enforcement 22
Biometric data & Privacy concerns 24
Increasing accessibility to technology for law enforcement 25
Cybercrime and Smart Policing Responses 27
Guiding Questions 32
Conclusion 33
Works Cited 34
 3

LandAcknowledgement
We’d like to start off by acknowledging that this venue, Marianopolis College, is located on

unceded Indigenous lands. The Kanien kehá:ka Nation is recognized as the custodians of the

lands and waters on which we gather today. Tiohtià:ke/Montréal is historically known as a

gathering place for many First Nations. Today, it is home to a diverse population of

Indigenous and other peoples. We respect the continued connections with the past, present

and future in our ongoing relationships with Indigenous and other peoples within the

Montreal community.

As guests, it is our responsibility to honor the stewards of this land by educating ourselves

about the histories and contemporary realities of First Peoples.

 4

LetterfromtheUSGofGA/SA
Dear delegates,

I am thrilled to welcome you to the 38th edition of MariMUN! My name is Gopika Wright

(she/her) and I am honoured to be the Undersecretary General for General Assemblies and

Specialized Agencies! I am in my second year at Marianopolis College and am completing a

DEC in Liberal Arts. After being a staffer in 2023, and now a Secretariat member in

2024-2025, I have been able to witness firsthand the incredible impact of MariMUN’s club

and conference on delegates and students alike, in helping each individual develop and

blossom as a person.

Every member of the Secretariat, as well as the staffers, have dedicated themselves to making

MariMUN 2025 an invaluable experience for everyone involved. Myself and Eleanor Welsh,

Deputy USG of General Assemblies and Specialized Agencies, have worked tirelessly to

construct thought-provoking and exciting committee themes for this edition of the

conference!

Whether it be to address police corruption, athlete exploitation, or increasing maritime crime,

delegates will have the opportunity to utilise their skills, knowledge and creativity to write

policy that seeks to build a safer and more equitable world. We hope that delegates will leave

this experience with newfound confidence, friends and knowledge on topics that are relevant

and important to reflect on.

 5

Delegates, we thank you for your participation in the General Assembly and Specialized

Agencies at this year’s conference. I wish all of you the best of luck and enjoyment in each of

your committees in February!

Cheers,

Gopika Wright,

Undersecretary General for General Assemblies and Specialized Agencies, MariMUN 2025
 6

LetterfromtheDias
Dear Delegates,

Welcome to MariMUN and to United Against Crime, this year’s specialized agency on

INTERPOL and its 21st century difficulties! We are thrilled to have you join us for what we

are confident will be an intellectually engaging, challenging, and hopefully

thought-provoking experience as we explore how INTERPOL as an international

organization can be abused by state actors as well as transformed through technological

innovation, like artificial intelligence.

I am Nora Malhi, your Chair, and a U1 student at McGill University pursuing a joint major in

Politics and Art History. One of my first and favourite MUN committees I ever did was an

ECOSOC on international crime, making this year’s INTERPOL committee one I am

personally very excited to be a part of. I can’t wait to see how each of you will engage with

the complexities of reforming a global institution vulnerable to exploitation while respecting

INTERPOL’s mission.

Alongside me is your Vice-Chair, Alexander Laurin. Alexander is also a U1 student at

McGill, completing a joint honours major in Politics and Philosophy. His interest in the

ethical and conceptual dimensions of political institutions, such as questions on sovereignty

and accountability played out by INTERPOL, brought him to this committee.

As this background guide will lay out, INTERPOL was designed to facilitate global

cooperation against transnational crime, yet state actors have often misused it for political

ends—issuing Red Notices against political opponents, activists, or even journalists, for

example. In this committee, you will tackle questions of corruption, lack of oversight, and the
 7

use of new technologies in international policing, exploring how the international community

can adapt.

We, as your dias, are here to make this a rewarding and enjoyable experience. Should you

have any questions or concerns leading up to the conference or throughout the weekend,

please don’t hesitate to reach out. We look forward to meeting you and seeing the innovative

solutions you will bring to this important topic.

Best regards,

Nora Malhi Alexander Laurin

Chair Vice-Chair
 8

Introduction
The International Criminal Police Organization, known as INTERPOL, is an

organization with the goal of facilitating international police cooperation to reduce crime

worldwide. Based in Lyon, France, the organization’s 196 member countries focus on

combating key international criminal issues, notably human trafficking, transnational crime

and terrorism. Acting as an administrative liaison between the law enforcement agencies of

various countries, Interpol operates 19 databases, 7 regional bureaus and three special

representative offices. It is most effective in issuing 8 internationally recognized “notices”,

which are used as an international requests for aid, alert or cooperation to help track and

locate individuals1.

Using the aforementioned systems, Interpol promotes mutual assistance within the

framework of existing laws in different countries, respecting their national regulations in

accordance with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and enhancing institutions

dedicated to the prevention and suppression of crime2. Used as a guiding document for all

Interpol operations, its constitution outlines that Interpol cannot participate in any Interpol

activities of a political, military, religious or racial nature. However, this stated goal has

become increasingly difficult to uphold in the complex political situation of the modern age.

1
INTERPOL 2024. “The International Criminal Police Organization.” INTERPOL. Accessed November 17,
2024. [Link]

2
INTERPOL 2024. “Interpol, Human Rights and International Police Cooperation.” INTERPOL, November 4,
2024.
[Link]
operation#:~:text=The%20RoP%20outlines%20how%20the,religious%2C%20or%20racial%20in%20nature.
 9

As an organization that was founded over a century ago, Interpol has had difficulty

adjusting its mission and constitution to the challenges of the 21st century. As national and

private corporations’ influence over the organization grows, Interpol has become increasingly

vulnerable to political and economic manipulation, threatening the impartiality at the core of

its mission. Additionally, the rising threats of the digital age have provoked a need for

Interpol to incorporate technology in their policy-making and strategies, but the type of

technology and the potential violation of individual rights are key to ethical integration.

Delegates must ensure that existing safeguards against exploitation and abuse are enforced in

Interpol, and must work to create ethical and sustainable policy to address Interpol’s 21st

century challenges.
 10

History and Governance

The International Criminal Police Commission was founded in 1923 in Vienna, with

fifteen members3. The organisation briefly fell into Nazi hands during World War 2, and

reconstructed itself under the name of Interpol in 1956.

The organisation is structured around 4 bodies: the General Assembly, the Executive

Committee, the General Secretariat, and the National Central Bureaus. The General

Assembly meets annually for policy and finance discussion, the Executive Committee

oversees the implementation of these decisions, the General Secretariat carries out day-to-day

operations, while each member state has a National Central Bureau operating as a link

between its national agencies and Interpol4.

The General Assembly, the organisation’s supreme governing body, contains

representatives from each of Interpol’s member countries. To ensure this, the General

Assembly determines the path for the organisation to reach its goals, and additionally makes

modifications to the programme of Interpol’s activities and the financial policy for the next

year.

The Executive Committee, which contains 13 members, supervises the General

Secretariat’s work and the decisions made by the General Assembly. The members work

part-time and on a volunteer basis. They consist of the president, three vice-presidents, and

3
INTERPOL 2024. “How Our History Started.” INTERPOL. Accessed November 17, 2024.
[Link]
4
INTERPOL 2024. “Governance.” INTERPOL. Accessed November 17, 2024.
[Link]
 11

nine delegates. The members all originate from different countries, and these countries are

well distributed geographically across the world5.

The General Secretariat runs everyday activities such as updating policies and

conducting administrative work to aid countries with their international policing.6 It is

constantly in operation thanks to the Command and Coordination Centre. This Centre is there

to assist countries who need help with an investigation, and it operates from offices in Lyon,

Singapore and Buenos Aires. 132 nationalities are represented at the General Secretariat,

showing the diversity of its members.

National Center Bureaus link each member country’s law enforcement with other

nations as well as with the General Secretariat by I-24/7, Interpol’s global police

communications network7. Since a lot of crimes are international crimes that extend beyond

country borders, NCBs are there to share criminal data between countries to help them by

collaborating with other NCBs to conduct cross-border investigations.

5
INTERPOL 2024. “Executive Committee.” INTERPOL. Accessed November 17, 2024.
[Link]

6
INTERPOL 2024. “General Secretariat.” INTERPOL. Accessed November 17, 2024.
[Link]

7
INTERPOL 2024. “National Central Bureaus (NCBS).” INTERPOL. Accessed November 17, 2024.
[Link]
 12

Sub-Topic1:PoliticalAbuseinInterpol
Abuse of the Notice System

One of the key features of Interpol’s international collaboration efforts is the Notice

system. Interpol Notices are international alerts that enable police in member countries to

share vital crime-related information8. They are issued by the General Secretariat at the

request of a member country’s National Central Bureau and can also be requested by

International Criminal Tribunals, the International Criminal Court, or the United Nations for

specific cases, such as genocide or war crimes. Most Notices are intended for police use only

and are not publicly accessible, though extracts can be published if a country seeks public

assistance. There are seven different types of notices, each meant to inform the international

community about criminal activity; recently, the Red Notice system, an arrest warrant to seek

the location and arrest of persons wanted for prosecution or sentencing, has been used for

blatant political motives, disregarding their primary judicial purpose9. Interpol “abuse” occurs

when their systems are used by a nation for political, military, racial or religious issues.

In recent years, Red Notices have become a growingly problematic tool for

authoritarian regimes against high-profile dissidents. Though high-profile dissidents are often

quickly released due to media outcry, there are severe consequences on their psychological

state and reputation, and less publicized cases often go unconfronted to real justice. Interpol’s

8
INTERPOL 2024. “Notices.” INTERPOL. (2024) [Link]

9
Parliamentary Assembly. “Abusive Recourse to the Interpol System : The Need for More Stringent Legal
Safeguards.” PACE website, April 26, 2017.
[Link]
 13

former secretary general, Jurgen Stock, claims that the misuse of Interpol’s tools represents a

small number of cases. But international organizations and human rights advocates do not

seem to agree; Alexey Kharis, a businessman politically targeted by Russia’s Red Notice

system and falsely arrested, noted that “It’s too easy to abuse the system.”, while Fair Trials

International, an NGO responsible for Interpol reform, claimed that “people in leading

positions at Interpol must be held to ethical standards”10.

Red-Notice subjects have previously included known human rights abusers such as

Osama bin Laden and Saadi Gaddafi. But as the number of Red Notices has increased by

nearly 10 times in the previous 20 years, so have the number of politically-motivated Red

Notices. In 2021, Turkey, China, the United Arab Emirates, Iran, Russia and Venezuela were

accused of abusing Interpol’s system, which they used to unlawfully target political

opponents. China used Interpol against the Uyghurs, an ethnic minority, where the

government declared a Red Notice against activists and Uyghurs living abroad, which can

violate the legal rights of political refugees. For example, in 2021, Moroccan authorities

arrested Uyghur activist Yidiresi Aishan on a Chinese Red Notice. Over the past 28 years,

Interpol has received thousands of detention and deportation requests of Uyghurs. A

Bulgarian prosecutor, working on the case of Annadurdy Khadzhiev, a Turkmen human rights

activist arrested by an Interpol notice, pointed out the extremely low levels of proof required

for arrests, proving in his case that the crime that Khadzhiev was accused of was “objectivity

impossible for him to have committed”. These arrests can also violate the legal rights of

arrestees, as was the case of Selahaddin Gulen, detained in Kenya after an Interpol notice and

deported to Turkey without a Kenyan court ruling11.

10
Josh Jacobs. “Has Interpol become the long arm of oppressive regimes?” The Guardian, 2021,
[Link]
-regimes
11
Ibid.
 14

There are a few reasons that the notice system has become such an easily-manipulated

tool by Interpol officials. One of the primary reasons are the accountability gaps, allowing for

Red Notice issuance criteria to be essentially non-existent. Currently, Red Notices are

reviewed before publication to ensure they are based on sufficient information and

unmotivated by politics. Despite these provisions, undeserved notices have managed to slip

through the proverbial cracks, with there being no current requirement that the issuing

country share with Interpol the court order that the Red Notice is based upon. This allows for

these notices to be essentially issued based on the “good faith” of autocrats, with the burden

of proof remaining within the hands of Interpol. Additionally, authoritarian regimes are

represented at Interpol just like any other organization, and can exploit their position to

manipulate the system and its new regulations to their advantages12.

With these problems in mind, many states have proposed legislation that encourages

transparency, such as the United States’ Transnational Represession Accountability and

Prevention (TRAP) Act13. This act aims to enhance screening processes for Interpol

communications, and obtain more transparency and accountability for countries in violation

of the agency’s rules. The act proposes penalties for egregious abuse of the system, revealing

gaps in Interpol’s enforcement of their own Constitution.

12
Meacham, Sam. “Weaponizing the Police: Interpol as a Tool of Authoritarianism.” Harvard International
Review, April 11, 2022. [Link]

13
Grossman, Sandra, and Meg Hobbins. “A Guide to Understanding and Challenging Persecutory Interpol Red
Notices in Immigration Court and before Interpol.” International Bar Association. Accessed November 17,
2024. [Link]
 15

Notably, the NGO Fair Trials, “the global criminal justice watchdog, campaigning for

fairness, equality and justice”14 pushed for Interpol’s increased honesty and transparency in

all operations, demanding that Interpol firmly investigate Red Notices before issuing them.

Case Study: Russia’s exploitation of INTERPOL

Following the issues outlined above, Russia is one of the 6 states with the most apparent

abuse of Interpol’s system.

Before 2015, Petr Silaev, a Russian environmental activist involved in the Khimki forest

protests, was charged with hooliganism in 2010 and fled to Finland15. He was granted

political refugee status in 2011. However, while on vacation in Spain in 2012, he was arrested

based on a Russian-issued Red Notice, accused of terrorism. After 18 months of international

pressure, the Red Notice was retracted. The accusation claimed he participated in a protest

that damaged a government building, but there was no evidence he caused any harm. This

case raises concerns about the types of charges that can justify a Red Notice. Later,

whistleblowers on corrupt practices by Russian Ministries in the Far East, Alexey Kharis and

Igor Borbot, were arrested on Red Notices in the United States16.

14
2024 Fair Trials. “Fairness, Equality, Justice.” Fair Trials, 2024. [Link]

15
Jacobs, Josh. “Has Interpol Become the Long Arm of Oppressive Regimes?” The Guardian, October 17, 2021.
[Link]
-regimes.

16
Krylova, Dr. Yulia, Louise Shelley, and Judith Deane. “Spotlight on a Critical Threat: The Abuse and
Exploitation of Red Notices, Interpol and the U.S. Judicial Process by Russia and Other Authoritarian States.”
2018 Terrorism, Transnational Crime and Corruption Center, November 28, 2018.
 16

The coincidence of the Notices from Russia being directly addressed at political opponents

under supposed criminal charges was noticed and criticized. Some organizations have

suggested banning countries with these tendencies, of which there are many beyond Russia,

but this is very controversial. Ukraine called for a suspension of Russia at a meeting of the

Executive Committee in 2022, but the committee’s vote was instead for “heightened

supervision and monitoring”, rather than a full suspension. In a speech at Interpol’s Executive

Committee meeting in Istanbul, Vladimir Putin maintained that Russia exclusively uses

Interpol against criminals and international terrorists. The UAE publicly denies allegations of

Interpol abuse or influence, defending the decision to elect Al-Raisi as president due to his 40

years in the police service. However, the General Secretariat has taken corrective measures

against NCB abuse of Interpol’s systems, as was the case in 2012 with Syria’s NCB.

Solutions might need to focus on supporting the integrity of these systems rather than

excluding countries from Interpol, as the cooperation and collaboration of many nations is

key in Interpol’s mission. Jurgen Stock, former Secretary General at Interpol, defended his

decision to not name or suspend particular countries, stating that it was not in the interest of

international police cooperation17. But without Interpol’s Notice system, there is very little

recourse that could be used by authoritarian nations to arrest individuals in democratic

nations abroad, short of illegal kidnapping and hits on individuals in foreign nations, which is

much more condemned on an international level.

17
Bill Whitaker. “Interpol navigates the tricky role of assisting police cooperation among 196 member
countries.” CBS NEWS, 2024,
[Link]
es-transcript/
 17

Influence of Non-State Actors on Operations

Due to Interpol’s status as both a law enforcement agency and an international organization,

its funding and representative members have been under a lot of scrutiny as there has been

widespread concern that non-state actors might have an illegal influence on Interpol’s

funding, causing the public and democratic nation to lose faith in the integrity and neutrality

of the organization. Toby Cadman, a British barrister on war-crime prosecutions, referred to

Interpol’s systems as “opaque, with no oversight or accountability, and routinely abused by

states”18.

Recently, Interpol was found to have received funding from major corporations, such as

tobacco and pharmaceutical industries, as well as tech companies, which tripled Interpol’s

budget. From 2012 to 2016, Interpol received 4,5 million euros from the pharmaceutical

industry to combat false medication production and other pharmaceutical crimes. In 2014,

Interpol was found to have reached a 30 million euro deal with FIFA, amidst the revelation of

multiple corruption scandals amongst the corporation19. The concern, of course, is that

Interpol’s reliance on private sector donors undermines the legitimacy of its areas of focus

and operations. For example, the FIFA deal created with Interpol was aimed at reducing

illegal betting and match-fixing within FIFA through training, education and prevention; but

while FIFA was paying Interpol to investigate corruption, it was committing it itself. In fact,

according to investigations by the Swiss police, Interpol had not looked into the corruption

18
Jacobs, Josh. “Has Interpol Become the Long Arm of Oppressive Regimes?” The Guardian, October 17,
2021.
[Link]
-regimes.
19
Simons, Jake Wallis. “How Interpol Got into Bed with FIFA.” POLITICO, June 3, 2015.
[Link]
 18

allegations within FIFA before official warrants were set out. According to Interpol

whistleblowers, Interpol may have avoided the case to avoid endangering their revenue20.

Furthermore, member states often encourage Interpol to enter in new operations and activities

for which it lacks adequate and/or transparent funding. This problem is exacerbated by the

reality that Interpol’s member nations often do not pay their mandated statutory contributions,

leading Interpol to need to rely on voluntary contributions21. In 2021, after voting to increase

statutory contributions by 22 million euros from 2022-2024, Interpol’s General Assembly

noted it represented only 41 percent of the overall budget.

On top of worrying private sector contracts, Interpol’s revenue comes increasingly from

“gifts” from member states, allowing for undue autocratic influence. The Interpol Foundation

for a Safer World, one of the most controversial parts of Interpol’s funding, was created by

the Executive Committee in 2013. Meant to function as a fundraiser for Interpol’s budget, it

works as a donations system almost entirely from the UAE, a state known for its abuse of

Interpol22. Part of the revenue is classified as a voluntary contribution, and the other portion

falls into a special account called the Interpol Trust Fund and Special Accounts, recorded

revenue for “specific projects”. Other than the donations by the UAE, the Foundation has not

raised any particular funds for Interpol. Funding from international organisations, NGOs, and

private sector corporations all goes into the Trust Fund and Special Accounts. People have

been quick to point out the favouritism that Interpol may be showing towards the UAE, with

20
Ibid.
21
Vinocur, Nicholas, and Elisa Braun. “Interpol Fights for Survival on Its 100th Birthday.” POLITICO,
September 7, 2023. [Link]
22
Bromund, Ted. “Interpol Needs Improved Financial Transparency to Restore Its Integrity and Block Autocratic
Manipulation.” The Heritage Foundation, August 1, 2022.
[Link]
ity-and.
 19

Interpol’s General Assembly meeting being held there on two different occasions and the

newly appointed president being a UAE citizen, despite allegations of torture against said

president23. In addition, Interpol has failed to properly disclose the sources and potential risks

of new sources of revenue.

To remedy this issue, there have been calls for greater political and financial transparency

within Interpol. Greater transparency in Executive Committee selections is needed as well as

in their profit spending. Many have called for the end of third-country payments, meaning

one Interpol member’s payment on the part of another, and for greater control over private

sector funding24. Additionally, there have been calls to ban all-private sector funding and/or

to limit the revenue percentage of Interpol’s Trust Fund and Special Accounts, which

currently has a limit of maximum 50% in Interpol’s budget, but the detrimental effects that a

full ban would have on operations must be taken into consideration. Knowledge of Intepol’s

budget, funders and distribution of funds based on operation is important in reinstating the

trust of the public, while ensuring that Interpol’s privacy still remains protected. The less

Interpol relies on statutory contributions, the more likely it is to continue to be a system for

abuse by autocratic states and private sector companies.

23
Vinocur, Nicholas, and Elisa Braun. “Interpol Fights for Survival on Its 100th Birthday.” POLITICO,
September 7, 2023. [Link]

24
“Interpol’s Impartiality Must Be Guarded.” Interpol Red Notice, 2023.
[Link]
 20

Proposed reforms

Since 2015, INTERPOL has made several reforms to improve protections for arrestees'

rights. These reforms were mainly influenced by advocacy from organisations like Fair

Trials, and from international outcry at the blatant political abuse.

In 2015, INTERPOL declared a refugee policy that would permit the removal of a Red

Notice if the individual in question is classified as a refugee under the 1951 Refugee

Convention25. This policy has not prevented the initial dissemination of INTERPOL alerts for

refugees, but it has permitted refugees to challenge these alerts after their announcement. In

2016, INTERPOL reorganised the Commission for the Control of INTERPOL’s Files (i.e.,

the CCF) so that this commission would provide more transparency and a more concrete

process for people intending to contest Notices26. However, many of these reforms have been

called out for being insufficiently harsh against political abuse, with many pointing out the

gaps in programs like the CCF, which has no oral proceedings or appeals procedure.

To combat the political abuse of Interpol by nations and private corporations, delegates must

work to protect the rights of arrestees and to penalise the nations that abuse these systems,

while maintaining diplomatic and cooperative interests.

25
Yuriy Nemets. “In protecting refugees and asylum-seekers, the Commission for the Control of Interpol’s
Files.” Red Notice Abuse Report, (2024);
[Link]
d%2C%20the%20notice%2Fdiffusion%20has
26
INTERPOL. “New measures approved to strengthen Interpol information sharing system.” Interpol, (2016);
[Link]
nformation-sharing-system
 21

Sub-Topic2:TheRoleofTechnologyinInterpol
Use of AI in Law Enforcement

In September of 2024, Europol (Interpol’s European branch) published a report highlighting

the revolutionary potential of AI in law enforcement. While the use of AI in the public sphere

is fraught with controversy, there are many benefits that the international community has

debated on reaping while keeping in mind privacy and bias concerns. In 2023, the UN’s

Centre for Ai and Robotics collaborated with Interpol for the creation of international

guidance in utilising AI in law enforcement.

The INTERPOL AI guidance document defines AI as the field of computer science dedicated

to the study and creation of technological systems that imitate human abilities. In law

enforcement, visual perception, data analysis and problem-solving are notable traits of AI that

can make it an important but dangerous tool to INTERPOL. Smart policing in general is

becoming increasingly common in national law enforcement agencies, particularly as

criminals and criminal organisations utilise these tools as well.

It is important to identify the uses for AI in law enforcement. Firstly, AI has important image

analysis capacities, allowing it to recognize and classify an object, person or animal in a

picture. Additionally, AI is extremely important in facial recognition, supporting the

identification of specific individuals in data and evidence. However, the importance of facial

recognition technology has also brought several false identification cases; according to the

INTERPOL AI Report, a lack of diversity in databases makes facial recognition AI less

capable when it comes to identifying visible minorities27. The same problem can arise with

27
Interpol and UNICRI. “Towards Responsible AI Innovation.” 2020.
 22

the use of AI in text and speech analysis, where AI can be less capable in speech and

translation recognition. Next, AI has important risk and prediction evaluatory mechanisms.

AI systems can analyse large quantities of AI in order to predict future outcomes, allowing

for law enforcement to know the various risks of different law enforcement actions.

Dangers of AI in Law Enforcement

Despite the many benefits, AI and smart policing also presents law enforcement agencies

with a large number of problems.

For example, AI’s content generation allows for the creation of “deepfakes”, a manipulation

or generation of fake visual and audio content, which can be used for malicious purposes like

helping criminals get more specific information for committing crimes28.

Additionally, using predictive policing systems with AI, which analyses patterns of criminal

activity in the past, can further prejudice and discrimination against specific groups of people

or individuals29. Predictive AI often uses data on past criminal activity and demographic data

(based on age, gender and race) to inform decisions about the allocation of law enforcement.

However, critics have pointed out the creation of a “feedback loop”, whereby overpoliced

groups are discriminated against because of past arrests and over policing, reinforcing

28
Ibid.
29
UNICRI, and INTERPOL. “Toolkit for Responsible AI Innovation in Law Enforcement : Introduction to
Responsible AI Innovation,” February 2024.
 23

stereotypes and law enforcement bias. Oftentimes, AI predictive technology is also out of

date. Pre-trial AI algorithms still report that a defendant without a landline phone is less

likely to show up in court, which is simply inaccurate in today’s wireless mobile device era.

The belief that AI is more objective than human law enforcement is questionable30. Another

concern with AI is the lack of transparency by law enforcement regulations. The number of

police departments using AI is largely unknown, as well as how they are using this data and

new technology, allowing for very little governmental and international oversight.

Recently, the EU launched a TRACE project, which aims to identify and disrupt illegal

money flows as quickly as possible. To do this, the TRACE project requires AI to help in

analysis for financial data and identification of financial activity patterns. This use was

accompanied by a robust framework to prevent AI abuse, such as the establishment of a risk

management system and the use of high-quality training datasets, in order to reduce

discrimination and increase transparency in AI use.

Additionally, smart policing technologies benefit the public and communities to reduce

crime, but are generally data-driven; Therefore, digital surveillance and saving of the public’s

private information is needed, creating broader privacy concerns amongst the population.31

Because the technologies are controlled by the centralised government, concerns of

over-taxing, policing, data theft, and private information leakage are a real concern for law

enforcement and populations alike.

30
Heaven, Will Douglas.“Predictive policing algorithms are racist. They need to be dismantled.” MIT
Technology Review, July 17, 2020.
[Link]
ine-learning-bias-criminal-justice/
31
Moon, HyungBin, Hyunhong Choi, Jongsu Lee, and Ki Lee. “Attitudes in Korea toward Introducing Smart
Policing Technologies: Differences between the General Public and Police Officers.” Sustainability 9, no. 10
(October 24, 2017): 1921. [Link]
 24

Biometric data & Privacy concerns

Biometric data is a process that identifies or recognizes human characteristics by examining

their physical and behavioural traits. 32 Interpol’s biometric hub is a tool which compares

individual data with Interpol’s technology such as fingerprint and facial recognition

databases. It was launched in October 2023, on Interpol’s 100th anniversary at the 91st

General Assembly. At this date, access to Interpol’s biometric hub was granted to all of its

196 members. Initially, Interpol used the hub to find and identify potential Persons of Interest

(POIs) during police investigations. Interpol’s biometric hub, over the next two years, is

planned to extend beyond POIs, and also to analyse border control points in order to make

border security safe and better worldwide.33

Interpol’s Biometric Hub has proven useful during the arrest of a fugitive migrant smuggler,

who was detained in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Thanks to the organisation’s technology,

European law enforcement identified the smuggler, who was using a false identity at the time.

His biometric data was put into the database and then it was also compared to Interpol’s

global databases. In consequence, the Biometric hub displayed his photograph as being

‘wanted’ in a fellow European country. However, despite the hub’s great benefits to the arrest

of problematic and dangerous criminals, the use of a biometric hub has had its share of

privacy concerns.

Some individuals may refuse or avoid having their photograph taken in general as well as for

a face recognition system because of concerns over how the images will be used. This means

32
2024 Innovatrics. “Biometric Data.” Innovatrics. Accessed November 17, 2024.
[Link]
33
Gherson 2024. “What Is Interpol’s Biometric Hub?” Gherson LLP, February 22, 2024.
[Link]
 25

the biometric hub is not always accurate and is not totally reliable. Delegates should consider

how we can ensure that Interpol’s biometric hub diminishes the chance for the misuse of

biometric samples as much as possible.34

To guarantee that the data is secure and confidential, Interpol has made sure the system

follows certain guidelines to protect privacy. The biometric data that is executed through

Interpol’s Biometric hub and that is used in searches is not posted on criminal databases; it is

also invisible to other users who are consulting the Biometric hub. Moreover, the data that

does not give the results needed is deleted from the system after the investigation. This is an

important element of Interpol’s data privacy policy.

Increasing accessibility to technology for law enforcement

Interpol has 196 member countries who all reportedly have access to its AI technology35.

However, it can be argued if this is really the case for certain countries lacking crucial

resources.

Interpol’s technology must be easily accessible to law enforcement so that they can carry out

their investigations as efficiently as possible. However, developing countries lack certain

resources that would enable their law enforcement to access technology efficiently. Since

34
Pato, JN, and LI Millett. “Cultural, Social, and Legal Considerations.” Essay. In Biometric Recognition:
Challenges and Opportunities. National Academy of Sciences, 2010.

35
INTERPOL 2024. “Artificial Intelligence Toolkit.” INTERPOL. Accessed November 18, 2024.
[Link]
 26

Interpol’s AI technology is allowed to be accessible worldwide, it is important to think about

how we can make sure Interpol’s technological resources don’t just perform well and

efficiently in Europe and in developed countries, but in developing countries as well. It is

crucial to remember that this AI technology is accessible to those with stable and strong

internet access, access to private spaces, access to electricity, possession of a computer

capable of loading Interpol’s technology and climate that permits the functioning of the said

computer.

This makes access to Interpol’s technology challenging for populations living in developing

or poorer countries or countries with very hot climates and lack of resources to reduce this

heat in buildings. For instance, in 2022, in Africa, 600 million people, which is 43% of

Africa’s total population, did not have access to electricity. 36Also, in 2022, 36% of the

African population has access to the Internet.37 Several countries in Africa have high crime

rates. South Africa, for example, has the 5th-highest crime rate in the world. 38 The high

crime rate of African countries combined with a lack of access to electricity and a lack of

access to the internet makes access to Interpol’s technology very difficult. This means that

victims of crimes cannot speak out, thus increasing the rates of crime even more as criminals

are not reported to law enforcement and the criminals are not punished for their acts.

36
IEA 2022. “Key Findings – Africa Energy Outlook 2022 .” IEA, 2022.
[Link]

37
“From Connectivity to Services: Digital Transformation in Africa.” World Bank Group.
[Link]
#:~:text=Despite%20improvements%2C%20in%202022%2C%20only,services%20still%20lag%20other%20reg
ions.

38
2024 World Population Review. “Crime Rate by Country 2024.” World Population Review, 2024.
[Link]
 27

Cybercrime and Smart Policing Responses

With the rise of the technological age in the 21st century, the international community has

been quick to notice the rising rates of cybercrime and the necessity of smart policing to

respond.

Cybercrime is divided into three prominent classifications, each of which are equally

devastating and deserving of Interpol’s attention. Firstly, there are crimes against the

machine, such as hacking and denial of services. Then, there are crimes using the machine or

computer-assisted crimes, such as robberies and scams. These can involve impersonation and

deception in order to utilise the victim’s power or money. Finally, there are crimes in the

machine, such as pornography and harassment. Pornography, for example, has become an

increasingly frightening issue, with the manufacturing of sexual images of children,

sometimes through AI, are often distributed on illegal platforms.

Additionally, cybercrime can be used against states in the form of terrorism, with technology

being used to broadcast terrorist organisation pages, where they can claim responsibility for

attacks and recruit their members. Criminals can also use digital technology to spy on

national and international institutions. Electronic warfare has also been an increasingly

prominent issue, with some military leaders even helping to form national pirate groups39.

Interpol has been closely engaged in the fight against cybercrime since its inception as a

prominent form of criminal activity. For example, Interpol launched Operation Synergia II,

39
Hedidi, Mohammed. 2023. ‘Perspective Chapter: Sexual Cybercrime – The Transition from the Virtual
Aggression to the Physical Aggression’. Forensic and Legal Medicine - State of the Art, Practical Applications
and New Perspectives. IntechOpen. doi:10.5772/intechopen.108786
 28

where it tracked illegal cyber activities online to identify malicious servers on an

international scale, with countries such as China, Mongolia, Madagascar and Estonia all

being involved. Operations such as these can be important for Interpol to help countries that

are more in need of technological support40.

Nations and institutions have been calling for Interpol’s increased support in addressing

police cooperation against cybercrime. The Covid-19 pandemic increased the cyberwork and

thus, cybercrime, with Interpol receiving requests from member nations against ransomware

attacks facing hospitals. Ransomware, a growing type of cybercrime, is a form of software

that prevents one from accessing computer files or networks until a ransom is paid, and has

devastating consequences for institutions that are, for example, providing life-saving critical

care41.

Currently, Interpol has a secure global police communications system called I-24/7, allowing

the organisation to share police information. Additionally, the Commission for the Control of

Interpol’s files, an impartial body tasked with ensuring that personal data in Interpol’s

channels conform to the rules of the Organization. Interpol’s Cybercrime Threat Response

puts out threat advisories and threat assessment reports. The Cyber Strategy and Capabilities

Development component is in charge of outreach and training between agencies and private

enterprises. Cybercrime Operations which handles law enforcement coordination and

takedowns of compromised infrastructure.

40
INTERPOL 2024. “Interpol Cyber Operation Takes down 22,000 Malicious IP Addresses.” INTERPOL,
November 5, 2024.
[Link]
cious-IP-addresses.

41
INTERPOL. “INTERPOL’s Contribution to the Elaboration of a Comprehensive International Convention on
Countering the Use of Information and Communications Technologies for Criminal Purposes,” October 2021.
 29

Organized cybercrime and hacker groups are often divided in various roles across different

countries, with a leader in charge of the operations. The groups are usually separated based

on their responsibility, whether it be data theft, laundering funds, or managing the scam itself.

In the case of state-sponsored hacking, governmental officials and organizations themselves

may be in charge of funding the organized cybercrime groups. Certain cybercrime groups

also sell their services or hacking advice in order to turn a profit to fund their operations, as is

the case with Russian cybercrime group Killnet. It is essential to find a way to cut the funding

of these cybercrime groups, as their profit is essential to their operations42.

Given that one of Interpol’s most key features is its only policing database, cybercrime is an

issue that delegates must address.

Interpol focuses on cybercrime as one of three transnational crimes focused on by Interpol.

Its collaboration with private partners allows for information sharing on threats and trends in

cybercrime. Interpol provides training and capacity building projects internationally. The

Cybercrime Knowledge Exchange Workspace and the Cyber Crime Collaborative Platform

are two Interpol operation platforms in facilitating cyber-crime related communication among

police.

However, there are many additional challenges associated with cybercrime. For example, the

number of active internet users is immense and makes monitoring difficult. Moreover, the

knowledge required for addressing cybercrime is extremely complex and requires

competency that is not easily accessible to many developing countries that also lack the
42
Bill Toulas. “Hacktivists fund their operations using common cybercrime tactics.” Bleeping Computer, 2023,
[Link]
tactics/
 30

infrastructure and resources. Websites and software are not made secure and are easily

hacked, and encryption acts as a way for offenders to hide their identities and prevent

detection from international organizations.

Because cybercrime is transnational, meaning that cybercrime offenders often commit these

crimes in a different country, it is important for maximum regularity in policy amongst

borders to appropriately deal with offenders. It also means that, when investigating

cybercrime, Interpol must be careful as to not violate international privacy standards and

human rights. Mutual legal assistance treaties and other forms of international cooperation

are therefore key for delegates to use.

While there have been several anti-cybercrime initiatives started by Interpol, a great deal of

solutions for the organization still need to be implemented. There remains a lack of

awareness as to dangers of cybercrime and the importance of firewalls. For example, over

75% of targeted cyberattacks begin with a simple email, 98% of web applications are

vulnerable to attacks, and governmental agencies report underfunding for anti cybercrime

policies. There is a clear lack of information and prioritization on the prevention and defense

against cybercrime, both in the public and private sector43

Delegates must also consider how international organizations can use AI policing to monitor

software breaches and scour the internet for possible cybercrime threats. Additionally, more

43
“130 Cyber Security Statistics: 2024 Trends and Data.” Terranova Security, 2024,
[Link]
 31

personnel and resources must be allocated to developing countries to help them combat

cybercrime44.

44
N, Neethu. “Role of International Organisations in Prevention of Cyber-Crimes: An Analysis.” ResearchGate,
December 2020.
[Link]
yber-Crimes_An_Analysis.
 32

GuidingQuestions
How can INTERPOL change and regulate its notice system in order to prevent political

abuse?

How can INTERPOL and its members work to commit itselves to the fair prosecution and

trial of its arrested peoples?

Which of INTERPOL’s reforms should they implement and how should they adapt their

existing documents to the 21st century?

How should AI be used in INTERPOL in order to ensure that its bias and privacy concerns

do not affect its benefits in law enforcement?

To what degree should INTERPOL include AI to make up for gaps in law enforcement?

How can INTERPOL work to ensure that biometric data is used properly and conserved in a

secure and private manner?

How can INTERPOL and individual nations ensure that law enforcement technology is used

equitably amongst developed and developing nations alike?

How can smart policing be used to address cybercrime?

 33

Conclusion
To conclude, INTERPOL, despite its original purpose of reducing crime through international

collaboration, has become an organization that has had a complicated time adjusting to 21st

century challenges. INTERPOL’s current systems are easily exploited by corrupt or

politically-motivated nations and third parties, rendering INTERPOL’s goal of political

neutrality impossible. Additionally, Interpol’s criminal justice system must be kept up to date

with the regulations of national justice, ensuring fair trials and human rights protection even

for its own arrestees. As technology and AI becomes further prominent and accessible in

modern day culture, delegates representing INTERPOL must reckon with how to include

smart policing to benefit from it, while guaranteeing justice and fair arrests are not affected.

Delegates must ensure that Interpol remains an organisation that prioritises equal justice

across all continents, promoting the equality of technology distribution, warrants and use of

Interpol systems.
 34

Works Cited

Bromund, Ted. “Interpol Needs Improved Financial Transparency to Restore Its Integrity and

Block Autocratic Manipulation.” The Heritage Foundation, August 1, 2022.

[Link]

sparency-restore-its-integrity-and.

Fair Trials. “Fairness, Equality, Justice.” Fair Trials, 2024. [Link]

Gherson, 2024. “What Is Interpol’s Biometric Hub?” Gherson LLP, February 22, 2024.

[Link]

Grossman, Sandra, and Meg Hobbins. “A Guide to Understanding and Challenging

Persecutory Interpol Red Notices in Immigration Court and before Interpol.”

International Bar Association. Accessed November 17, 2024.

[Link]

Heaven, Will Douglas. “Predictive Policing Algorithms Are Racist. They Need to Be

Dismantled.” MIT Technology Review, July 17, 2020.

[Link]

ms-racist-dismantled-machine-learning-bias-criminal-justice/.

Hedidi, Mohammed. “Perspective Chapter: Sexual Cybercrime – The Transition from the

Virtual Aggression to the Physical Aggression.” In Forensic and Legal Medicine -

State of the Art, Practical Applications and New Perspectives. IntechOpen, 2023.

[Link]
 35

INTERPOL. “Artificial Intelligence Toolkit.” INTERPOL. Accessed November 18, 2024.

[Link]

INTERPOL. “Executive Committee.” INTERPOL. Accessed November 17, 2024.

[Link]

INTERPOL. “General Secretariat.” INTERPOL. Accessed November 17, 2024.

[Link]

INTERPOL. “Governance.” INTERPOL. Accessed November 17, 2024.

[Link]

INTERPOL. “How Our History Started.” INTERPOL. Accessed November 17, 2024.

[Link]

INTERPOL. “Interpol Cyber Operation Takes down 22,000 Malicious IP Addresses.”

INTERPOL, November 5, 2024.

[Link]

n-takes-down-22-000-malicious-IP-addresses.

INTERPOL. “Interpol, Human Rights and International Police Cooperation.” INTERPOL,

November 4, 2024.

[Link]

nd-international-police-cooperation.
 36

INTERPOL. “INTERPOL’s Contribution to the Elaboration of a Comprehensive

International Convention on Countering the Use of Information and Communications

Technologies for Criminal Purposes,” October 2021.

INTERPOL. “National Central Bureaus (NCBs).” INTERPOL. Accessed November 17,

2024.

[Link]

-NCBs.

INTERPOL. “Notices.” INTERPOL. Accessed November 17, 2024.

[Link]

INTERPOL. “The International Criminal Police Organization.” INTERPOL. Accessed

November 17, 2024. [Link]

IEA. “Key Findings – Africa Energy Outlook 2022.” IEA, 2022.

[Link]

Innovatrics. “Biometric Data.” Innovatrics. Accessed November 17, 2024.

[Link]

Jacobs, Josh. “Has Interpol Become the Long Arm of Oppressive Regimes?” The Guardian,

October 17, 2021.

[Link]

he-long-arm-of-oppressive-regimes.
 37

Krylova, Dr. Yulia, Louise Shelley, and Judith Deane. “Spotlight on a Critical Threat: The

Abuse and Exploitation of Red Notices, Interpol and the U.S. Judicial Process by

Russia and Other Authoritarian States.” 2018. Terrorism, Transnational Crime and

Corruption Center, November 28, 2018.

Lemon, Edward. “Weaponizing Interpol.” Journal of Democracy 30, no. 2 (April 2019):

15–29. [Link]

Meacham, Sam. “Weaponizing the Police: Interpol as a Tool of Authoritarianism.” Harvard

International Review, April 11, 2022.

[Link]

Moon, HyungBin, Hyunhong Choi, Jongsu Lee, and Ki Lee. “Attitudes in Korea toward

Introducing Smart Policing Technologies: Differences between the General Public and

Police Officers.” Sustainability 9, no. 10 (October 24, 2017): 1921.

[Link]

N, Neethu. “Role of International Organisations in Prevention of Cyber-Crimes: An

Analysis.” ResearchGate, December 2020.

[Link]

tions_in_Prevention_of_Cyber-Crimes_An_Analysis.

Parliamentary Assembly. “Abusive Recourse to the Interpol System: The Need for More

Stringent Legal Safeguards.” PACE website, April 26, 2017.

 38

[Link]

=en.

Pato, JN, and LI Millett. “Cultural, Social, and Legal Considerations.” Essay. In Biometric

Recognition: Challenges and Opportunities. National Academy of Sciences, 2010.

Simons, Jake Wallis. “How Interpol Got into Bed with FIFA.” POLITICO, June 3, 2015.

[Link]

UNICRI, and INTERPOL. “Toolkit for Responsible AI Innovation in Law Enforcement:

Introduction to Responsible AI Innovation,” February 2024.

World Population Review. “Crime Rate by Country 2024.” World Population Review, 2024.

[Link]

Bill Whitaker. “Interpol navigates the tricky role of assisting police cooperation among 196

member countries.” CBS NEWS, 2024,

[Link]

lice-cooperation-60-minutes-transcript/