How Governments Abuse Interpol’s Red Notices

Red Notice is increasingly becoming not a means of justice, but a tool of political pressure. Instead of searching for dangerous criminals, the mechanism is often used to persecute opposition members, journalists, businessmen, emigrants, and activists. Unfortunately, the Interpol system is vulnerable to abuse and exploitation by totalitarian and authoritarian regimes. Formally — a criminal case, in practice — political revenge.

However, without timely legal protection, a red notice can lead to detention, an extradition request, and a reputation damaged for years. Those who left the country due to political or corporate conflicts are particularly vulnerable. Our legal team provides assistance to those trapped in such abuses. We analyze the motives behind the request, file a complaint with the Commission, and seek the removal of the notice.

Red Notice is an official request sent by one country through Interpol to other states to establish the whereabouts and possible detention of a person wanted for a serious criminal offense.

A request for a red notice can only be submitted by an Interpol member country through its National Central Bureau. This usually occurs at the initiative of law enforcement agencies or the prosecutor’s office if a criminal case has been initiated against a specific individual, a national arrest warrant has been issued, and there is evidence that the person is evading investigation or trial and may be located outside the country.

The NCB submits a request to the General Secretariat, sending all necessary documentation through the secure I-24/7 network. The request must include the individual’s personal data, a description of the crime, legal grounds, a copy of the arrest warrant, and additional materials (e.g., photographs, fingerprints, DNA data).

Before the notification enters the international system, it undergoes a multi-level legal review. The General Secretariat checks whether the request complies with the Interpol Constitution. An assessment of justification is conducted: whether the evidence provided is sufficient, whether the offense falls under the category of criminal, and whether the case has a transnational nature. If there are doubts about the motives of the request or its legal nature, the notification is not published. Such a filtering mechanism is designed to prevent abuse, especially by states that may use the system to pressure political opponents or former business partners.

It is important to understand that a Red Notice does not have the legal force of an international arrest warrant. It is a request to other countries to locate and provisionally detain a person, if permitted by national legislation. The decision on arrest and extradition is made by each country based on its own legislation and the presence of bilateral or multilateral agreements.

With proper use, the red notice system serves exclusively for criminal investigations, operates within the framework of international cooperation, excludes political, religious, or commercial motivation, ensures effective tracking of criminals and protection of citizens’ safety. At the same time, the system must be transparent, accountable, and verifiable, as well as include the possibility of appeal — through the CCF Commission.

The Interpol Red Notice system was created to locate and detain individuals accused of serious criminal offenses, with subsequent possible extradition. However, in recent decades, there have been increasing reports of cases where states use this mechanism not for criminal prosecution but as a tool of pressure: against opposition, journalists, emigrants, and even businessmen.

After the failed attempt at a coup d’état in Turkey in July 2016, the authorities began large-scale purges in the army, state structures, educational institutions, and media. In the following years, hundreds of requests for red notices were submitted against journalists, human rights defenders, political opponents, and alleged supporters of the Gülen movement.

Regarding the Russian Federation and Belarus, human rights activists have repeatedly expressed concerns about the use of Interpol to persecute opposition members and activists. In Belarus, in 2020–2021, against the backdrop of mass protests following the elections, attempts began to file requests for opposition members who had left the country. Some of these requests were blocked by Interpol after additional verification.

In the countries of the Persian Gulf — in particular, in the UAE, Kuwait, and Qatar — the red notice mechanism is often used to pressure foreign businessmen and expats. In several well-known cases, citizens of Western Europe and Asia were declared wanted on charges related to debts, commercial disputes, or corporate conflicts.

If you have become the subject of a red notice, which you believe has political or improper motivation, it is crucial to act quickly. Our team of lawyers will help check for the notice in INTERPOL’s database, prepare a complaint to the CCF, gather evidence of violations of INTERPOL’s Constitution, achieve the removal of the notice, and restore your freedom of movement.

According to Article 3 of the Interpol Constitution, the organization does not have the right to participate in matters of a political nature. However, in practice, governments often present politically motivated cases as criminal ones:

Such an approach allows bypassing the formal prohibition and achieving the publication of the notification. This is especially characteristic of countries where the line between political and criminal prosecution is blurred.

Sometimes red notices are used not to catch criminals but as a tool of pressure in business conflicts or private disputes. The most common examples include: business partners accusing each other of breach of trust or embezzlement, banks or private individuals initiating criminal cases over unpaid debts, employers filing complaints against former employees, accusing them of stealing information. Although civil and contractual disputes do not fall under Interpol’s jurisdiction, filing a notice based on a formal criminal charge (e.g., “fraud”) allows the system to be activated.

Another method of manipulation is the submission of notifications against individuals who have already obtained refugee status in other countries. Despite the fact that Interpol is formally required to take into account the presence of international protection, requests are still submitted—sometimes in the hope of triggering border systems automatically. In such cases, detention may occur even in a country where the individual is officially protected—simply due to a lack of synchronization between migration and law enforcement databases.

Sometimes governments do not withdraw the notice, even if the grounds no longer exist: the case is closed, the person is acquitted, the statute of limitations has expired, or reconciliation between the parties has been reached. As a result, the person continues to remain in Interpol’s database, facing detentions, visa refusals, and restrictions. This is used as a form of prolonged pressure, especially in cases where official prosecution no longer exists but the goal is to cause inconvenience.

Individuals who often become the subject of a red notice cannot gain access to the evidence on which it was issued. The request is made in a closed manner, and even lawyers find it difficult to understand exactly what their client is being accused of. This contradicts the principles of fair trial and the right to defense. Moreover, the CCF Commission reviewing complaints does not always disclose all information, citing the confidentiality and security of the requesting state.

One of the most serious consequences of a red notice is detention at airports, borders, and in transit countries. In such situations, a person may be arrested suddenly, without prior warning, and end up in isolation for several days or even weeks while local authorities check documents and decide on the issue of extradition.

Even with refugee status or political asylum in another country, a red notice can lead to temporary deportation, prolonged detention, and legal proceedings. All of this is accompanied by stress, loss of control over the situation, and the risk of being returned to a country where the person faces persecution.

After the publication of a Red Notice, many victims face financial restrictions. When an individual is identified in the international wanted database, banks, investment funds, and payment systems may freeze accounts, suspend operations with investments and assets, cease servicing legal entities associated with this individual, deny the opening of new accounts, or refuse to provide financial services. Such measures are taken as part of KYC policy and sanctions risk assessment, even if the Interpol notice is temporary or contentious. As a result, a person may lose access to their own funds and business opportunities.

A Red Notice effectively blocks a person’s access to dozens of countries. When attempting to obtain a visa, cross a border, or even simply purchase a ticket, the system may automatically react to the presence of the notice. This leads to visa and residency permit denials, bans on boarding flights, border control with subsequent interrogations, and the inability to participate in international events, business forums, or negotiations. Many victims are forced to give up international activities, isolate themselves in one country, or even involuntarily emigrate out of fear of detention.

Even if the notification has not become public, information about it may leak to the media, databases, and business circles. Consequences: loss of reputation, termination of contracts, inability to attract investments, departure of business partners due to fear of sanctions and blockages. Even in the case of the notification being removed from the system, a trace in the informational space may remain for years, especially if the matter was covered in the media.

The key mechanism created to counter abuses is the CCF Commission. This is an independent body operating based on the Interpol Statute, whose task is to review complaints about illegal or improper notices, protect personal data, and verify the compliance of notices with Interpol’s rules.

Any individual has the right to submit an appeal to the CCF if they believe they have become a victim of system abuse. The complaint must be submitted in writing in one of INTERPOL’s official languages, with mandatory provision of evidence (documents on asylum, court decisions, references, analytical reports, etc.).

If the Commission concludes that the notification violates the Charter or is used for improper purposes, it may decide on its complete removal, restriction of access to the information (for example, exclusion from public databases), or refusal to publish the request if it has not yet been posted. It is worth noting that the review process takes from several months to a year, and during this period, it is extremely important to properly establish a defense strategy and maintain communication with the Commission through an authorized lawyer.

The procedure for appealing Interpol notices requires not only an understanding of international law but also strategy, precise argumentation, and competent communication with Interpol bodies and national authorities. An experienced lawyer will help identify the political or commercial motivation behind the request, gather evidence for a complaint to the CCF, handle correspondence with the General Secretariat and NCB, and ensure the client’s protection from detention, extradition, and reputational damage. In some cases, only through timely actions by a lawyer is it possible to prevent arrest, even if the notice has already been published.

Our lawyers have experience working with Interpol cases and know how to protect the client from the consequences of unscrupulous requests. We conduct fact-checking, analyze the legal nature of the notice, determine the presence of political motivation or other violations of the Charter. If necessary, we file an appeal with the CCF Commission and achieve the removal of the notice from the database.

We also provide legal support in case of arrest upon notification, represent the client’s interests in negotiations with national authorities, and ensure compliance with all international procedures and human rights.

If you have become the subject of a red notice or suspect abuse, contact our legal team immediately. We will promptly assess your situation and propose a defense strategy. The sooner you seek qualified legal assistance, the higher the chances of a successful resolution of the case.