Red Notice
We prepare a complaint against a Red Notice or a diffusion, file it with the Commission for the Control of Files and follow the case to a decision.
What an Interpol search means
A Red Notice is a request from a member country to locate a person and provisionally arrest them pending extradition. A diffusion is a similar request sent by one country’s NCB directly to others. Neither is an international arrest warrant: each state decides how to respond.
The data can be deleted if the request breaches Interpol’s rules. The decision lies with the Commission for the Control of Interpol’s Files (CCF), an independent body that reviews data processing on the person’s own complaint.
Why a notice is dangerous
- Arrest at a border or during a document check
- Refusal of a visa, residence or citizenship
- Frozen bank accounts
- An extradition request
- Damage to work and reputation
When the data can be deleted
Political character
Article 3 of the Constitution bars Interpol from matters of a political, military, religious or racial character.
Human rights
Article 2 requires action in the spirit of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights: detention conditions, fair trial and the risk of torture matter.
Refugee status
Asylum granted because of persecution by the requesting country is a strong argument for deletion.
Insufficient data
A Red Notice needs specific facts about the case and the person’s role. Vague wording is a ground for complaint.
Private dispute
Interpol does not deal with civil, debt or administrative matters, even when framed as criminal.
Case closed
If the limitation period has expired, the case was dropped or charges withdrawn, the data must go.
Stages of a challenge
Check
We establish which notice is in force and request the data from the CCF.
Position
We study the case at home and select grounds and evidence.
Complaint
We prepare a reasoned filing to the CCF with translations and annexes.
Decision
We answer the Commission’s queries until it decides, under CCF rules within 9 months.
Common questions about Red Notices
Can I find out myself whether there is a notice?
Only a small share of notices is public. The reliable route is an access request to the CCF.
How long does a complaint take?
Under CCF rules a deletion decision is due within 9 months of the complaint being found admissible. The period can be extended.
Can access to the data be restricted meanwhile?
Yes, on serious grounds the Commission may block the data temporarily pending its decision.
Will the requesting country learn of the complaint?
The Commission consults the NCB that entered the data, so it is important to plan what to disclose and how.