From Freedom House

In response to the nomination of Russian official Aleksandr V. Prokopchuk as president of Interpol, Freedom House releases the following statement:

“Russia has systematically abused Interpol to target human rights defenders and dissidents through its issuance of baseless and politically motivated international arrest warrants. Mr. Prokopchuk, who was in charge of facilitating these warrants on behalf of Russia, completely lacks the honesty, integrity and impartiality required for this position of international trust,” said Michael Abramowitz, president of Freedom House. “We call on U.S. allies and democratic countries to oppose Mr. Prokopchuk’s candidacy to head Interpol. His election would profoundly compromise confidence in the organization and undermine the authority of the rule of law.”

Background:

After the disappearance of Interpol’s president Meng Hongwei last September in China, Aleksandr V. Prokopchuk, currently vice-president of Interpol, has been nominated to head Interpol. Mr. Prokupchuk previously served in the department of the Russian Ministry of Interior that liaises with Interpol and issues red notices and diffusion arrest notices through Interpol.

Russia is rated Not Free in Freedom in the World 2018, Not Free in Freedom of the Press 2017, Not Free in Freedom on the Net 2018, and receives a democracy score of 6.61, on a scale of 1 to 7, with 7 as the worst possible score, in Nations in Transit 2018.

Freedom House is an independent watchdog organization that supports democratic change, monitors the status of freedom around the world, and advocates for democracy and human rights.