When faced with extradition proceedings or an Interpol Red Notice from Iran, seeking professional legal advice is crucial. Iran’s legal system operates under standards fundamentally different from those in Germany and the consequences of an Interpol Red Notice can be serious and long-lasting, potentially leading to an arrest, extradition, and even imprisonment in Iran.
At Schlun & Elseven, we have extensive experience helping our clients navigate complex international proceedings, including extradition matters and Interpol Red Notices. Our Extradition and Interpol team has successfully prepared and filed corresponding protective letters, defended clients facing extradition, secured the release of detained individuals and had Red Notices deleted worldwide.

Interpol Red Notices are issued at the request of member countries of Interpol seeking the provisional arrest of individuals wanted for extradition. It is not an international arrest warrant. Interpol’s 195 member states may each submit such requests, which are reviewed by the General Secretariat for compliance with Interpol’s constitution. The Interpol constitution forbids requests that contradict the “Universal Declaration of Human Rights” (Article 2 of INTERPOL’s Constitution), that includes Red Notices that are mainly of political, military, religious or racial nature (Article 3 of INTERPOL’s Constitution) and requests that don’t fulfil minimum penalty requirements or are on Interpol’s list of excluded offences for Red Notices. Among the excluded offences, which are punishable in Iran, but cannot be the ground for an Interpol Red Notice, are for example: prostitution, offences related to pornography, homosexual acts, abortion and adultery. If the Red Notice is approved, however, the member states’ national police authorities are notified and asked to make an arrest if the suspect is located in their territory.

Despite these safeguards, Iran has a documented history of using Interpol Red Notices for politically motivated purposes. In 2021, Iran requested Red Notices for the arrest of then-US President Donald Trump and 47 other US officials following the killing of General Qassem Soleimani – a request Interpol denied on the basis of Article 3. Another well-documented case is that of Mehdi Khosravi, a political activist who fled Iran after the 2009 protests and was subsequently arrested in Italy in 2016 on the basis of an Iranian Red Notice. Following public criticism, he was released and his Red Notice deleted – a result achieved through targeted legal intervention.

The publicly accessible Red Notice database on Interpol’s website represents only a fraction of all notices in circulation. Many Red Notices remain unpublished, reserved for sensitive investigations, national security matters, or ongoing operations, and are shared exclusively with law enforcement agencies on a need-to-know basis. This means that the number of active Iranian Red Notices is likely substantially higher than what appears publicly. If you suspect you may be subject to an unpublished notice, seeking legal advice is strongly recommended.

Our lawyers will submit requests for information to the relevant Interpol offices on your behalf and carry out a thorough analysis of your case. Where grounds exist, we will prepare and file the necessary protective letters and submit a formal challenge to the Commission for the Control of Interpol’s Files (CCF). One of the strongest grounds for challenging an Iranian Red Notice is its incompatibility with Interpol’s own rules, in particular, where the notice contradicts the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (Article 2(1) of Interpol’s Constitution) or is politically or religiously motivated (Article 3).
The human rights dimension is equally significant. Iran’s penal code permits punishments including capital punishment by hanging, beheading, stoning, and firing squad, as well as amputation, crucifixion, and flogging. According to Amnesty International, 312 people were executed in Iran in 2021. Under several international legal instruments, the risk of such treatment constitutes a bar to extradition:

• Article 3 ECHR prohibits torture and inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.
• Article 19 of the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights prohibits the removal, expulsion, or extradition of any person to a state where they face a serious risk of the death penalty, torture, or other inhuman treatment.

These provisions provide powerful grounds on which extradition to Iran can be resisted and on which a Red Notice can be challenged before the CCF.

If you are the subject of an Interpol Red Notice from Iran, you are advised to act fast to protect your freedom. Our team of expert extradition and Interpol lawyers will request information from Interpol and work closely with you to understand the details of your individual case, assess the validity of the Red Notice, and develop a personal defence strategy to get the Red Notice removed successfully. A Red Notice can also be challenged preemptively if you suspect you will be subject to one.

If you or someone you know has already been arrested because of an Interpol Red Notice, we will promptly contact the authorities and work tirelessly to remove it as soon as possible. Our internationally active law firm provides the needed legal experience, guidance, and support to navigate these complex legal procedures. Please do not hesitate to contact us through our contact form below.