An Interpol Red Notice is an efficient measure for locating and arresting individuals sought by national police authorities. As obtaining an Interpol Red Notice can be easy, the number of such Notices increases. However, removing an Interpol Red Notice can still be a complex and lengthy process. To be the subject of an Interpol Red Notice means to be permanently exposed to the risk of getting arrested or extradited.

Therefore, it is even more critical to have a law firm by your side with excellent knowledge and experience in Interpol issues to help you find out whether you are the subject of an Interpol Red Notice. At Schlun & Elseven, our extradition lawyers provide comprehensive assistance when seeking Interpol Red Notice removal and removing of data from Interpol’s database.

An Interpol Red Notice is a request for law enforcement support worldwide. It is not an international arrest warrant. An Interpol Red Notice is issued if someone is suspected of committing a serious crime. Based on the valid national arrest warrant, the other member states are requested to assist in arresting the person and extradite them back to the country where the crime was supposedly committed. Interpol Red Notices are issued by the member states and not by Interpol itself. This means individuals are wanted by a specific member state or international tribunal. Interpol itself cannot instruct national law enforcement authorities.

Interpol Red Notices allow police services in all member countries to be alerted simultaneously to watch for the wanted person and support extradition proceedings. The Interpol Red Notice informs the police forces about the person’s appearance, personal documentation, and alleged criminal offence.

The consequences of an Interpol Red Notice are far-reaching and include the permanent risk of getting arrested and extradited. A person affected by an Interpol Red Notice is very likely to get apprehended by law enforcement officials. Sometimes individuals do not even know they are subject to an Interpol Red Notice until they are being arrested.

Countries‘ reactions to an Interpol Red Notice might vary. Each member state can decide what value it gives to an Interpol Red Notice. An Interpol Notice that has not been enforced in one country may lead to arrest in another country.

However, in most cases, individuals are searched, arrested and have to face extradition. Generally, Interpol Red Notices are kept for five years. The country that issued the Interpol Red Noticed can request an earlier withdrawal just as the validity extension. In addition to that, the General Secretary is allowed to withdraw an Interpol Red Notice.

Every Notice must comply with Interpol’s constitution and rules. As Interpol is a democratic organization, they do not have any interest in keeping notices in their databases based on politically or militarily motivated cases. With a special task force, Interpol ensures that every Interpol Red Notice complies with its rules. This decision – whether an Interpol Red Notice is issued or not -is based on the information available for Interpol at this particular time. If any new information is brought to the attention of Interpol, the task force has to re-examine the case.

First Step: Establishing whether a Red Notice exists

Most Red Notices are not publicly visible. Only a small number appear on Interpol’s public „Most Wanted“ list; the majority are accessible only to national and international authorities. We submit formal requests to the relevant Interpol offices to determine whether a notice has been issued against you and, if so, what it contains.

Second Step: Identifying grounds for challenge

Every Interpol notice must comply with Interpol’s constitution and rules. Interpol explicitly prohibits notices of a political, military, religious, or racial character. Common grounds for challenge include politically motivated prosecution, absence of sufficient evidence, fair trial concerns, procedural violations in the issuing country, or the criminal nature of the underlying case being in doubt. We analyse the notice in detail and build the strongest possible challenge based on the specific circumstances of your case.

Third Step: Filing a request with the CCF

Removal is achieved by filing a request with the Commission for the Control of Interpol’s Files (CCF) — the independent body that has the final say on whether a notice remains valid. The CCF request must be precise, well-evidenced, and persuasively argued. We prepare and submit all necessary documentation on your behalf, with the goal of achieving full deletion from Interpol’s database.

Below, you will find list of the most frequently asked questions about our services with regard to removing an Interpol Red Notice. If you have any further questions about our services or about our law firm in general, you can contact us at any time.