Blue Notice Removal Linked to Past Persecution by a Now-Defunct Sect
A client sought to remove a Blue Notice from INTERPOL’s database linked to past persecution by a now-defunct religious sect. Advocate Dmytro Konovalenko challenged the outdated notice, highlighting its lack of legal basis and risks to the client’s freedom of movement.
Case Overview
A client reached out to our legal team to request removal from INTERPOL’s database, where she had been listed under a Blue Notice stemming from events tied to a now-defunct religious sect. Years ago, she had been the subject of persecution related to the group’s internal dynamics and legal troubles in Russia.
While two other members of the same group received asylum in the European Union, and three others were prosecuted domestically, the client reported multiple returns to Russia without any detention or enforcement action taken. This indicated that domestic interest in the case had likely diminished — or been politically de-emphasized.
However, a formal inquiry in 2021 confirmed the ongoing presence of her data in the INTERPOL system. Although she has not been actively targeted since then, the existence of the Blue Notice poses risks to her travel, professional opportunities, and personal security.
Legal Strategy: Removing an Outdated and Risk-Based Blue Notice
Unlike Red Notices, INTERPOL’s Blue Notices are used to locate or gather information about individuals, often without issuing charges or an arrest request. However, their existence can still have severe reputational and practical consequences — especially when based on outdated or disproven risks.
Under the leadership of Dmytro Konovalenko, our legal team reviewed the timeline of events, asylum cases linked to the same sect, and the current legal status of the organization. With no further legal action against the client and the sect no longer operational, the basis for the original notice had clearly eroded.
We prepared and submitted a formal deletion request to INTERPOL’s Commission for the Control of Files (CCF), arguing that the Blue Notice no longer served a valid legal or security purpose. We emphasized the nonexistence of the group, the client’s record of peaceful returns to Russia, and the broader human rights implications of continued listing.
As an expert in Blue Notice removals, Mr. Konovalenko also coordinated the strategy with asylum precedents and regional case law to reinforce the notice’s legal obsolescence.
Result
The request has been accepted by the CCF and is currently under active review. The client now has legal protection in place and a formal process underway to clear her name from INTERPOL’s databases. The case illustrates how outdated notices tied to past persecution — even when non-criminal in nature — must be addressed to ensure lasting freedom of movement and reputation.
