Interpol Red Notice: Protection of Rights and Freedom of Movement

While Interpol Red Notices are crucial to law enforcement worldwide, these tools are often misused for political, personal, and commercial vendettas. In some cases, they are disguised as typical international crimes like human trafficking or organized crime instead of civil disputes. Such misuse results in reputational damage and human rights violations, requiring seasoned Interpol lawyers to challenge the illegal notices.

By combining deep knowledge of International crimes with years of cross-border advocacy, our experienced Interpol lawyers deliver tailored legal strategies to protect your fundamental rights. We are your first line of defense against erroneous, biased, or illegal Interpol Red Notices, ensuring that due process is followed and rights protected.

An Interpol Red Notice is an official alert issued by the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) at the request of a member country seeking prosecution. The alert aims at facilitating international police cooperation to locate a person pending extradition proceedings and subsequent criminal prosecution.

Contrary to common belief, an Interpol Red Notice isn’t an International arrest warrant with direct legal effect. In most Interpol member countries, national law enforcement agencies treat red notices as grounds to provisionally arrest the requested person pending a formal extradition request.

Red Notices are issued by Interpol’s General Secretariat after receiving a request from the National Central Bureau (NCB) of the requesting country. This international alert includes the individual’s name, nationality, photograph, details of the offense or conviction, the relevant criminal code article, and possible location. Biometric data, such as fingerprints or DNA, may also be included.

Once published, the Red Notice is circulated to all Interpol member states. Each country decides, in line with its national laws and international obligations, whether to arrest the individual. In some countries, an Interpol Red Notice issued against a person directly leads to arrest, while in others it is treated only as information.

If you discover that such notices have been issued against you, or suspect that one may be requested, consult Interpol Red Notice lawyers immediately. Qualified Interpol lawyers can help file an appeal, notify the Commission for the Control of Interpol’s Files (CCF), and defend your rights internationally.

While Interpol notices are critical tools in international law enforcement activity, only member states can request a Red Notice through their NCB. A request may be submitted if a criminal case has already been opened, a valid national arrest warrant exists, and the government intends to seek extradition once the individual is detained abroad.

The requesting member country must provide a full set of supporting documents, including:

The General Secretariat in Lyon reviews whether the request complies with Interpol regulations, is free from political, religious, or racial motives, respects fundamental rights, and has sufficient legal grounds.

If approved, the Interpol Red Notice is circulated through Interpol’s I-24/7 network to all member states. Some notices may be made public on the Interpol website, while others remain accessible only to law enforcement. In cases of doubt, Interpol may deny or delay publication, or refer the matter to the CCF.

Despite these safeguards, abuse of the Red Notice system occurs, especially in authoritarian states where it may be used against political opponents, journalists, businesspeople, or former officials.

Interpol Red Notices don’t have a fixed expiration date. They remain active until:

Thus, an Interpol Red Notice may remain in force for years or even decades unless the individual or their lawyer files a challenge. Beyond being a legal tool for facilitating information exchange in police investigations, it can also serve as a powerful instrument of pressure, restricting travel, visa issuance, banking, and damaging reputations.

Where bilateral extradition treaties exist, the process is more straightforward, defining extraditable crimes, obligations of parties, deadlines, and refusal grounds. In the absence of treaties, extradition may proceed under reciprocity principles, making it less predictable.

Key factors are not only the existence of a Red Notice, but also treaties, the content of the request, and compliance with both domestic and international law. Immediate legal assistance is essential in such cases.

To challenge an Interpol Red Notice, strong legal grounds must be presented. Common arguments include: politically motivated criminal proceedings, human rights violations, risk of torture, lack of fair trial, false accusations, insufficient evidence, or breach of Interpol’s Constitution.

Supporting evidence may include arrest warrants, court rulings, immigration documents, reports from international organizations, expert opinions, and proof of political context. Requests must be submitted in writing, using Interpol’s official form, with personal details, information on the notice, a case description, reasons for deletion, and supporting documents.

The CCF registers the request, may ask for additional materials, and reviews the case for compliance with Interpol’s rules and international law. The review period usually lasts 4–9 months. Once concluded, the CCF issues a decision. If granted, the Red Notice is removed from all Interpol databases and loses legal effect.

The TRAP Act (Transnational Repression Accountability and Prevention Act) is a U.S. law designed to prevent authoritarian governments from abusing Interpol’s system for political purposes.

It requires U.S. law enforcement authorities to avoid cooperation with states that misuse Red Notices in violation of human rights or Interpol’s Constitution. The law also mandates reports to Congress on politically motivated notices.

Key provisions oblige the Department of Justice and Department of Homeland Security to verify Red Notices before taking any action against individuals in the U.S., ensuring protection of due process and human rights.

If a person has been granted refugee status, authorities recognize the risk of persecution upon return. This is a significant factor for the CCF when reviewing Red Notices.

The CCF has repeatedly held that notices against refugees violate Interpol’s principles. Refugee status is therefore strong grounds for deletion.

Lawyers with experience building Interpol cases often cite the 1951 Refugee Convention and case law of the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) when challenging Red Notices, emphasizing risks of arbitrary detention, unfair trials, and persecution.

When an Interpol Red Notice is issued, the information is instantly available to all Interpol member states, exposing individuals to arrest risks worldwide.

Importantly, Interpol notices are not always public, and wanted persons often learn of them only after being detained — making early legal consultation critical.

Our legal services include:

We assist clients at every stage — from initial assessment to full deletion of the Interpol Red Notice and resolution of its consequences.

Contact us today for an initial consultation and to develop an effective international legal strategy. We act immediately to analyze your case, file challenges, and provide the necessary legal support to restore your freedom of movement.