United Nations to hear US FBI abuse of crypto expert Chris Emms

British national Christopher Emms seeks UN resolution on arbitrary detention in Saudi Arabia

British national and crypto expert, Chris Emms, has filed a petition to the United Nations to rule on his wrongful detention in Saudi Arabia and human rights violations at the request of the United States.

The FBI issued an Interpol Red Notice against 30 year old Christopher Emms for allegedly ‘conspiring to violate’ US sanctions under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) by attending a cryptocurrency conference in North Korea (DPRK) in 2019, a time where the US President and diplomats were bridging the gap in relations.

US seeks extradition of British national over cryptocurrency conference: The case of Christopher Emms. Due Process Newsroom & Media Centre

“IEEPA specifically provides that it only applies to US citizens”, explains extradition expert Radha Stirling, “and Chris is not a US ‘person’. He is not required to abide by US domestic law unless he is actually within the United States. Chris is a British citizen who, in attending the Pyongyang conference, did not violate any British, European or international laws.

Frankly, nor did he violate any US laws. It is absurd that the government of the United States would try to impose its domestic laws on foreign nationals, abuse their membership to Interpol and cause the arbitrary detention and human rights violations of a young man in Saudi Arabia. It is insulting to the United Kingdom, Saudi Arabia and the international community that the US is imposing on their sovereignty and trying to export domestic laws with aggressive and abusive tactics.

“Countries need to draw a red line and let the US know that their jurisdiction stops 12 nautical miles from their land borders. Foreign nationals can NOT be expected to learn American law at school and should never be extradited for alleged violations of US domestic law OUTSIDE of the US.

Extradition of British crypto expert to USA would challenge UK sovereignty Due Process Newsroom & Media Centre

“It starts with going after ‘terrorists’ or journalists and then it extends to average people like Chris Emms who the US wants to use to make a ‘point’ to the crypto community. The US wants their sanctions to be obeyed by everyone, not just the sanctioned party but abusing the law to enforce their foreign policy is not the way to do it. If they want Brits to follow US sanctions, they should lobby the British government to impose the same sanctions on their citizens. British citizens are only required to follow the legal sanctions of their own country.

“Our governments must be held to account for their increasing overreach of powers. We are calling on The United Nations to emphasise the principles of sovereignty to the US and to recommend the immediate release of Christopher Emms and compensation for the hundreds of thousands in legal bills he has had to foot”.

See why the US is persecuting crypto professionals:

Colonising the Cryptosphere - by Radha Stirling Due Process Newsroom & Media Centre

Stirling has helped clients delete wrongful Interpol Red Notice’s since 2008. “The misuse of Interpol’s database is so appalling, especially so when it comes from countries like the US from whom we expect a better standard of due process. We regularly defend clients from extradition proceedings all over the world. These are the most frightening times of people’s lives. It’s something nobody expects they will have to deal with in their lifetime. They are not international fugitives, drug lords or terrorists. They are average workers, flight attendants, pilots and entrepreneurs with no criminal history but because Interpol has immunity, there is no incentive to improve their standards.”

Stirling has acted for a number of clients petitioning for United Nations involvement, including Dubai’s Sheikha Latifa Al Maktoum. “The UN is often the last resort for those who have tried everything legally and diplomatically to resolve their situation. It’s important that the UN human rights and sovereignty principles are enforced against countries who would willingly violate them. We hope the FBI will review their criteria for submitting Interpol Red Notices to ensure they are acting within international guidelines in the future”.