Interpol unveils its “black notice” which includes facial reconstructions and various relevant information to help identify previously unknown victims. Will we finally be able to solve some of these anonymous cases?
Tl;dr
- Interpol created its “black notice” to identify anonymous victims.
- The organization made public elements of the investigation into 46 women found dead.
- Interpol hopes to name the victims and resolve these cold cases.
Interpol, the international organization for police cooperation, has set up an unprecedented initiative: the “black notice”. The goal? Shedding light on the identity of 46 women found dead in six European countries over several decades. With this action, Interpol wishes to provide answers to grieving families and achieve justice for these hitherto anonymous victims.
A call for help from the public
Interpol Secretary General Jürgen Stock appealed to the public, saying: “The smallest piece of information can be decisive and shed light on these mysteries”.
Through this campaign, the organization hopes to identify these women, nicknamed “the woman in pink”, “the introvert” or “the globetrotter” by investigators. Small details, such as a tattoo, a necklace or a physical feature, can be crucial for identification.
A campaign that is already bearing fruit
The “Identify me” campaign, launched by Interpol in May 2023, has already made it possible to identify Rita Roberts, a 31-year-old British woman found in Antwerp more than thirty years previously. Relatives of the victim recognized the young woman’s tattoo, representing a flower, on Interpol documents. Building on this success, the organization decided to expand this campaign to unresolved cases in France, Spain and Italy.
The power of the “black notice”
The “black notice” consists of alerts that are normally reserved for police use. Interpol hopes, through their publication, to name victims such as “the woman with the tattooed butterflies” or “the pregnant woman with the garnet necklaces”. For each victim, a facial reconstruction and details of where they were found are posted online on the Interpol website.
Singer Axelle Red and actress Carice van Houten, ambassadors of the campaign, call for solidarity: “Look at these women (…) could they be your friend, your cousin, your colleague, your patient, your neighbor, who suddenly disappeared? ».
Echoing this call, the athlete Marie-José Pérec and the actress and writer Sarah Biasini are the ambassadors of the campaign in France. Together, they hope that this resolute gesture by Interpol will restore their identity to these women and resolve these unresolved cases.
