Global statistics show that about a thousand Red Notices are issued by Interpol each year. This diplomatic request is meant to help law enforcement worldwide to locate or seek information about fugitives wanted for ordinary law crimes. However, Interpol can compel the member countries to arrest a person pending extradition, surrender, or similar legal action.
While these colour-coded notices aren’t international warrants, they impact people’s ability to travel where a valid extradition treaty exists. These notices can also damage your reputation severely, so it’s crucial to thoroughly so it’s crucial to understand the nuances involved when you receive such a notice.
To resolve these types of cases, you need to consult a certified Red Notice lawyer who has the skills and understanding to help. An experienced Red Notice lawyer can advise you on resolving such cases according to Interpol’s rules and avoid its negative impacts.
What are Interpol Red Notices?
A Red Notice is an International alert issued by Interpol to help locate and provisionally arrest a person pending prosecution or to serve a jail sentence. These notices are sometimes referred to as ‘red corner notices’ and several national police departments are involved in the decisions to issue these notices and counter transnational crime.
It is important not to confuse a Red Notice with an arrest warrant for a person. It informs Interpol member countries that a specific country wants a person to serve a sentence or get prosecuted for a specified crime related to ordinary law like rape, murder, and fraud.
The Interpol General Secretariat can issue such notices after receiving a request from a member country. The notice is a request to law enforcement agencies in member countries to join in the search for and hand over the criminal. However, the legal consequences might vary by country since not all countries treat the request as an alert warrant.
Regardless of the requesting country, all countries follow one important rule. They ban international travel. If a suspected person tries to leave, they will be detained at the border. The Interpol member who filed the request then gets notices of the person’s movements and border crossing attempts. Subsequently, there are high risks of extradition.
Equally essential are the consequences of a Red Notice for one’s reputation. If a person’s information is on Interpol’s website, there may be a procedure to freeze their bank accounts.
The Structure and Function of Interpol
Interpol is known as the “International Criminal Police Organization,” involving 196 member countries. It is the second-largest international organization after the UN. The organization is meant to enhance international police cooperation. It does this by offering a global communication system with different countries. Thus, with this system, countries can share important information. They need it for international cooperation.
In addition to securing the global system, Interpol also provides technical support in other ways:
- The services provide the necessary information. The databases have police data, such as names, fingerprints, and DNA samples. They also have profiles and the Interpol notice list of all notices issued.
- They provide operational support to law enforcement for national governments. The governments deal with investigating international crimes.
- The services aim to provide programs for development. They also provide extra training for the police forces of certain member countries. The primary goal is to prevent and combat transnational crime.
In each country that is a member of Interpol, there is its National Central Bureau (NCB) with national police officers. The NCB helps transfer information, handles requests from other countries, and works with the local police of the specific country.
What Complications Arise from Red Notices?
People who get Interpol’s Red Notice often face issues that can lead to criminal charges. To avoid such a notice, a person may be subject to international pursuit and fleeing. That means ignoring Interpol’s red notice list can lead to a multitude of problems.
Law enforcement agencies typically restrict travel, trade, and finances. They do so upon issuing such a document. By the laws of specific countries, border officials and the police may arrest people who get such a notice. They can also freeze bank accounts.
Interpol Red Notice Abuse: Example Cases
Before publishing Interpol’s Red Notice, the organization verifies submitted requests. The requests must follow the necessary principles and rules. However, we have few resources to verify it. So, we call such checking superficial. As a result, many member countries do superficial checks. This leads to abuse of Red Notices and unlawful actions.
Among the most common unlawful actions are:
● Persecution of various political opponents.
● Pressure on opponents in commercial legal disputes.
There are many examples of how authoritarian and totalitarian states exploit structural vulnerabilities for selfish purposes, ignoring human rights in the process. The UAE often uses Interpol red notices to recover simple bank credit debts through criminal justice methods. They would change a debt meant for civil law collection, falsely accusing the debtor of fraud. Based on these false facts, Interpol’s red notice is issued, which is already the first strategy of abuse.
Such instances of abuse by the UAE can also be explained because this country, being one of the largest donors, funds the international organization.
Interpol’s Red Notice vs. International Arrest Warrant
Interpol’s red notice is a request to find and maybe arrest a person pending extradition. However, it is important to remember that such a request is not an international arrest warrant. Its main purpose is to serve as a notification to law enforcement worldwide about a person’s criminal activities.
Through this notice, all police departments in each member country of the organization are notified. They get information about a specific person from the requesting country that’s interested in them when they are a suspect in a crime or have a court conviction.
How to Legally Challenge a Red Notice?
According to Interpol’s constitution, a red notice can be legally disputed using the following steps:
- Submit a Preventive Letter. This is relevant if a person knows or suspects that an Interpol member country will request a red notice. Before its publication, a preventive letter can be prepared and submitted, specifying the exact reasons why the notice would violate Interpol’s rules.
- Submit a Deletion Request: This request is made after Interpol’s red notice has already been issued. The request for deletion is sent to the Commission for the Control of Interpol’s Files (CCF). It is an independent body that does thorough reviews. It’s important to include all necessary evidence and strong arguments in these requests, like expert reports, country reports, and documents from NGOs. The CCF panel convenes every three months to review all accumulated requests.
To challenge Interpol’s decisions, refer to two main documents. They are the Interpol Rules on the Processing of Data (RPD) and its Constitution. Diffusions are circulated directly from the member country’s NCB to all member countries.
How Can We Help You with Interpol’s Red Notice?
When it comes to dealing with red notices, professional legal advice is essential. Our law firm offers services from lawyers who specialize in Interpol red notices and are ready to help you in various situations. We give valuable advice. It’s based on our extensive experience and knowledge. We also provide detailed answers to our clients’ questions.
● Protection of Clients’ Interests and Rights: We defend clients accused of various international crimes.
● Interpol’s Red Notice Search and Request Preparation: Utilizing our connections, we can quickly check whether a red notice has been issued for a specific person.
● Strategic Challenging and Deletion of Interpol Notices: Our lawyers are well-versed in the workings of the international organization, providing consultations related to this issue.
Our team understands Interpol’s processes. We offer tailored advice to address your concerns.
Why Choose Us – Red Notice Lawyers?
Our qualified red notice lawyers have lots of experience. They represent clients who have faced wrongful actions in the issuing of such notices.
Key advantages of turning to our company include:
We provide thorough layer consultations. We offer legal advice on resolving issues related to the issuance of red notices. This help is available at any stage of proceedings.
● We handle matters related to extradition efficiently.
● Each client receives personalized attention with a meticulous review of their case and problems.
If a red notice has been issued against you, regardless of the circumstances, contact us. Do not delay addressing the issue; it is crucial to seek legal consultation as soon as possible to begin taking action today.