Syrian Refugee at Risk Due to Politically Motivated INTERPOL Notice
A Wrongfully Targeted Asylum Seeker
In the early hours of December 28, 2024, Turkish authorities apprehended Mohamad Alkayali, a Syrian refugee residing in Türkiye since 2014. His arrest was based on an INTERPOL Red Notice issued by Saudi Arabia in January 2016.
Now, Alkayali faces the looming threat of deportation to Saudi Arabia—a country he has not stepped foot in for over 12 years. If extradited, he risks severe persecution, imprisonment, or worse.
The allegations against him lack fundamental details such as the time, location, or any substantive evidence, raising serious concerns about the misuse of INTERPOL’s framework for political repression. Alkayali’s case is yet another example of how authoritarian regimes exploit international policing systems to target political opponents, exiles, and dissidents.
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A Life Marked by Exile and Persecution
For years, Alkayali worked as an IT consultant in Saudi Arabia. However, following the outbreak of the Syrian revolution in 2011, he became an outspoken critic of the Assad regime and an advocate for Syrian refugees, particularly those fleeing to Saudi Arabia. His activism focused on exposing the restrictive policies imposed on Syrians there, including their inability to seek asylum and the financial burdens of residency fees under the “visitor” status.
His vocal criticisms made him a target of growing harassment. Fearing for his safety and freedom, Alkayali left Saudi Arabia in early 2013 and sought refuge in Türkiye the following year. Since then, he has lived peacefully, abiding by Turkish laws and never traveling outside the country.
Believing he was finally safe, Alkayali continued to speak out against Saudi policies, especially regarding human rights violations. His increasing activism drew further scrutiny from Saudi authorities, turning him into a prime target for repression.
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Saudi Arabia’s Exploitation of INTERPOL
Alkayali learned only recently that an INTERPOL Red Notice had been issued against him. The notice, requested by Saudi authorities in 2016—four years after he had left the country—accuses him of an offense punishable by a maximum of three years in prison under Saudi law. The suspicious timing and vague nature of the accusation strongly suggest a politically motivated attempt to silence him.
In response, Alkayali challenged the Red Notice, arguing that the charges were fabricated for political reasons. Despite this ongoing appeal, Turkish authorities arrested him, raising grave concerns about INTERPOL’s vulnerability to misuse by authoritarian regimes.
Adding to the opacity of the case, Saudi Arabia reportedly asked INTERPOL to keep the notice confidential, preventing it from appearing on INTERPOL’s public database. Such secrecy is typically reserved for terrorism or organized crime cases—categories that have no relevance to Alkayali’s alleged offense. This further reinforces suspicions that the Red Notice is politically driven rather than a legitimate criminal matter.
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Legal Violations and Human Rights Concerns
Alkayali’s detention is based on an INTERPOL Red Notice that does not meet basic legal standards. In particular, it contravenes key INTERPOL protocols, including:
– Article 3 of INTERPOL’s Constitution, which prohibits the organization from engaging in politically motivated cases. Alkayali’s history as a vocal critic of Saudi policy suggests the notice is being used as a tool of transnational repression.
– Article 83 of INTERPOL’s Rules on Data Processing, which requires Red Notices to include essential judicial details such as the time and place of the alleged offense—information that is missing in his case.
– Penalty Threshold Violation, as INTERPOL rules state that an offense must carry a minimum two-year minimum sentence for a Red Notice to be issued. The Saudi law in question allows for either a fine or a prison sentence, meaning Alkayali could technically only face a fine—making the Red Notice application improper.
Beyond these legal breaches, his arrest and potential deportation violate core international human rights laws. If forcibly sent to Saudi Arabia, Alkayali could face imprisonment, abuse, or worse, simply for exercising his right to free speech.
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INTERPOL’s Systematic Abuse by Authoritarian Regimes
Alkayali’s case is not an isolated incident. INTERPOL’s Red Notice system has frequently been exploited by authoritarian governments to suppress dissenters, journalists, and political activists. Organizations such as Fair Trials and the European Parliament have repeatedly raised concerns over INTERPOL’s insufficient vetting processes, which allow politically motivated cases to go unchecked.
In 2019, the European Parliament published a report exposing ongoing failures in INTERPOL’s safeguards. Despite reforms, refugees and activists continue to appear in the Red Notice database based on politically motivated accusations. Alkayali
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