ICPO-Interpol - General Assembly 65th Session - Antalya - 23rd-29th October 1996

RECOGNIZING that the Interpol communications system and the warning (green notices), produced by the General Secretariat constitute effective instruments for sharing information about criminals who operate internationally and thus make it possible to counter their activities,

RECOGNIZING the need to have precise definitions of the conditions under which the General Secretariat may circulate warning notifications,

The ICPO-Interpol General Assembly, meeting in Antalya from 23rd to 29th October 1996 at its 65th session:

ASKS the Secretary General to continue to apply the guidelines set out in the Appendix to this resolution;

ASKS the member countries to comply with the criteria laid down in those guidelines;

RECOMMENDS that, for the benefit of all member countries, full use be made of these resources to identify, track down and keep a watch on international criminals;

ABROGATES the following resolutions:

• AGN/31/RES/2 - (1962) - Composite likenesses
  
• AGN/31/RES/7 - (1962) - Colour photography
  
• AGN/42/RES/10 - (1973) - Systematic surveillance of international criminals
  
• AGN/52/RES/4 - (1983) - Forms used to request the General Secretariat to circulate information
  
• AGN/55/RES/15 - (1986) - Forms used in the context of police co-operation
  
• AGN/56/RES/5 - (1987) - Minimum criteria for the circulation, by the General Secretariat, of international warning notifications (green notices and equivalent documents).

Appendix

Subject: Minimum criteria for the circulation, by the General Secretariat, of international warning notifications (green notices and equivalent documents)

(1) An international warning notification may be issued about any person who is suspected of being an international criminal for one or more of the following reasons:

(a) Because he has criminal convictions in at least three countries (excluding any for minor offences);

(b) Because he has at least one criminal conviction in one country and a police record in at least two other countries (excluding any for minor offences) if all the facts suggest that he is likely to engage in inter-national criminal activities of some significance;

(c) Because he has a police record in at least two countries if the nature of the alleged offences (for example, trafficking in drugs, counterfeit cur-rency, stolen property, weapons, exploitation of prostitution, picking pockets) sug-gests that he is likely to engage in international criminal activities of some significance;

(d) Because he has, in at least one country, a police record which suggests that he is likely to participate in serious offences (e.g. attacks on persons and property using firearms or explosives, armed assault, major theft or receiv-ing of stolen property, major trafficking operations) committed by a criminal organization operating in more than one country.

(2) A person is considered to have a "police record" when police investiga-tions of an offence have provided serious evidence of his guilt.

(3) When the information available is unclear or confusing or appears to be incomplete, the NCBs concerned should be contacted for clarification before the notification is issued. In such cases, the NCBs concerned should be informed that the General Secretariat intends to issue a warning notification.

(4) When the aims of a warning notification can probably be achieved even if circulation of the notification is limited to particular geographical areas, the General Secretariat should refrain from authorizing general circulation of the notification.