Chinese abuses of Interpol are unacceptable – Ward

China is abusing its position within Interpol, a Fine Gael Senator has said.

Senator Barry Ward, who is the Irish Co-Chair of the Interparliamentary Alliance on China (IPAC) said, “This week the Chinese candidate for the Interpol Executive Committee was elected from an assembly of 194 countries.

“This is reprehensible as China has continued to abuse its position on Interpol by issuing Red Notices, i.e. arrest warrants that can be used throughout Interpol countries, for people it deems to have ‘committed crimes’. This includes dissidents, people who speak out against the Chinese regime and anyone whom China decides should be the subject of such an order, including Irish citizens.

“The election of Hu Binchen suggests to China that it is acceptable to continue in this manner of activity; it is not. We must send a clear message to China that they cannot continue to abuse the Interpol Red Notice system.

“I raised this matter in the Seanad this week and highlighted that this time last year, the Irish Government suspended its extradition agreement with Hong Kong. The time has now come for that agreement to be definitively cancelled and repealed.

“There should be no question of any person in Ireland, or anywhere else, being extradited to any territory in which the Chinese Communist Party wields authority”, concluded Senator Ward.