Knowing whether you are the subject of an Interpol Notice is vital. Being the subject of an Interpol Notice bears heavy consequences and affects a person’s life and freedoms in many ways, including where and how they can travel, their professional life and their personal reputation.

The Interpol Red Notice is an instrument used by Interpol Member States for the purpose of provisional arrest and later extradition. It is not the same as an international arrest warrant, and a legal review by Interpol does not occur. However, being the subject of an Interpol Red Notice is of serious concern to individuals, and professional legal advice is necessary for such situations. An Interpol Red Notice can be issued once an Interpol Member State submits a request to Interpol’s General Secretariat.

Although an Interpol Red Notice should not breach the rules of Interpol, in that it should not be issued for political, religious or military reasons, it is not uncommon for these reasons to be hidden. It is not uncommon for states to abuse Interpol’s rules, and it takes experienced lawyers to uncover such deceptions. If you are the subject of an Interpol Notice, don’t hesitate to contact our lawyers directly and allow us to oversee your legal defence.

The first place to check to find out if you are the subject of an Interpol Red Notice is on Interpol’s website. However, this, so-called „Most Wanted List“ is incomplete, and just because you are not on the Interpol website does not mean that you do not need to be concerned. Interpol only shares a small number of Red Notices on their main website as most Notices are in Interpol’s databases and are not publicly available. The majority of Interpol Red Notices are restricted to law enforcement use. Beyond that, Interpol Diffusions never appear on the Interpol website.

If you do appear on Interpol’s website concerning an Interpol Red Notice, your profile will provide some of your personal information and will give a broad indication of the nature of the offence. However, the exact details of and evidence concerning the alleged offence will not be listed. For more specific information relating to the charge, it is advisable to contact an experienced lawyer. Our legal team will be able to contact Interpol directly and inquire information concerning the alleged offences in question.

Should your name not be on the Interpol website, it is recommendable to request information from the Commission for the Control of Interpol’s Files (CCF). The role of the CCF is to ensure that data processing involved with Interpol Notices is compliant with Interpol’s rules. It is recommendable to consult with a lawyer before contacting the CCF as the CCF will evaluate whether the information request fulfils their requirements. A successful application will result in the CCF checking whether an Interpol Red Notice has been issued against you and whether there are any other entries concerning you in the Interpol Information System. The information provided by the CCF is vital for your legal defence when it comes to deciding and implementing strategies.

Should your request for information be successful, the CCF will check the Interpol database concerning Interpol Red Notices and other data. At Schlun & Elseven Rechtsanwälte, our attorneys will seek the correction or deletion of incorrect information. Such incorrect information can be crucial in these matters. The CCF will assess whether the requests for the correction or deletion of information are valid and will act appropriately. This process can take several months but is worth it due to the benefits it provides.

The CCF has an important role within Interpol as it ensures the organisation follows its own rules with data processing, and as a general rule, keeps information requests confidential. The Statute for the Control of Interpol’s data provides the CCF’s powers and responsibilities, such as evaluating information request applications. With the powers available to Interpol, the CCF must perform its role independently.

Although information requests is a reliable means of determining whether you are the subject of an Interpol Notice, it is not always possible. There are strict restrictions in place that can prevent a subject from receiving the desired information. It should be noticed that CCF prohibitions only apply in certain cases. In these cases, the police force of the issuing country has requested the limitation based on the following reasons:

• To protect public or national security or to prevent crime;
• To protect the confidentiality of an investigation or prosecution;
• To protect the rights and freedoms of the applicant or third parties;
• To enable the Commission or the Organization to properly discharge their duties.

However, whether these steps should apply is another matter. Contacting our extradition law team directly will allow us to investigate whether these restrictions have been used appropriately.

Extradition lawyers will ensure that your information request to the CCF conforms to the required standards. Requests need to be made in one of the CCF’s four working languages (Arabic, English, French or Spanish) and with relevant identification documents. From the beginning, our lawyers will work with you concerning defence strategies and will advise you based on years of experience in extradition law. Should a notice exist, our lawyers will use their Interpol Red Notice removal expertise to restore your freedoms and provide you with peace of mind.

Our lawyers have been through this process on many occasions for clients worldwide. Being the subject of an Interpol Notice can be a daunting prospect; however, protecting yourself with expert legal assistance is a means of balancing the inherent challenges that come in such stressful times. Once the Interpol Red Notice is removed or we have identified data that needs to be changed or deleted, our lawyers will check to ensure that this information is altered as appropriate on Interpol’s records. Ensuring the removal of such data is vital to prevent future difficulties such as getting arrested at an airport or other locations. Contact us now to benefit from our lawyers‘ expertise.