Interpol has rejected calls from several Western countries to suspend Russia from its ranks over the conflict in Ukraine, the world police organization said on Thursday. Canada, Poland, and the UK were among those demanding the move.
Just a few hours earlier, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced Ottawa had joined the chorus calling for Russia’s suspension, arguing that “international law enforcement cooperation depends on a collective commitment to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and mutual respect between Interpol members.”
Canada, Poland, and the UK have all imposed a wide array of economic, political and other measures against Russia, accusing Moscow of aggression against Ukraine.
Russia sent troops into Ukraine last week, saying the government in Kiev was committing “genocide” in the Donbass region and needed to be demilitarized and “denazified.”
Interpol, which stands for the International Criminal Police Organization, has 195 member countries and maintains 19 police databases of crimes and criminals, including names and fingerprints, to facilitate international law enforcement cooperation.