To end up on the international wanted list is a serious ordeal that can affect a person’s life. The international arrest warrant distributed by Interpol to law enforcement worldwide among member countries can be initiated for different reasons. However, don’t despair as there are ways to appeal and remove such notifications.
When wanted by Interpol, people often face difficulties related to a lack of transparency and the complexity of procedures, which makes it necessary to involve qualified specialists. Let’s look at how to act correctly if you end up in the search database and protect your rights.
What is Interpol?
Interpol is a global criminal police organization that coordinates the interaction of law enforcement agencies from different countries. One of its functions is the publication of notices, such as the Interpol red notices.
Red notices are used to internationally search, locate and provisionally arrest a person pending extradition in a bid to combat international crime. However, the International Criminal Police Organization doesn’t carry out investigations or arrests – that’s done by national law enforcement agencies of Interpol member countries.
Who can initiate inclusion in Interpol’s lists?
International wanted notices are initiated by an authorized government body of the requesting country through their national central bureau. Typically, that includes the police, judicial authorities, or any other body responsible for criminal prosecution.
The basis for the request is the presence of an arrest warrant or a court decision. At the same time, the request must comply with Interpol’s rules, which prohibits prosecution on political, military, racial, or religious grounds.
Grounds for appealing an international search
Interpol notices can be contested if there are violations in the procedure or if the request doesn’t align with Interpol’s constitution. For example, if the prosecution is clearly political or if the evidence presented is insufficient to support the suspicions. It is necessary to ensure the collection of evidence confirming the legality of the investigation, such as court decisions, witness testimonies, and expert conclusions.
When can a person be put on an Interpol wanted list?
A person can be declared internationally wanted through Interpol if there are grounds to believe that they have crossed state borders from where the crime was committed and are hiding abroad. This often happens during investigations of serious crimes such as fraud, money laundering, corruption, or war crimes. At the same time request to Interpol The search must be supported by convincing evidence.
The deciscision to issue an international alert for wanted persons is made independently by the organization following the request by a member state. For this, this international tribunal must verify that the notice aligns with Interpol’s laws. If there are doubts, the notice may be rejected.
Who are they looking for through Interpol?
Interpol is searching for individuals suspected of committing serious human rights violations and international crimes, ranging from individual criminals to members of organized criminal groups. They also work on locating missing persons and identifying unidentified bodies. As such, this independent body issues various types of alerts for various incidents, including red notice, silver notice, yellow notice and blue notice.
International arrest warrants pay particular attention to international crimes that require coordinated efforts by law enforcement worldwide. These include terrorism, human trafficking, war crimes, drug trafficking, and cybercrime. Thus, Interpol plays an important role in ensuring international security.
Grounds for appealing an international search warrant
The appeal procedure can be initiated if there is evidence of unlawful or unjustified inclusion in the Interpol database. For example, if the search violates human rights or the organization’s rules. To do this, one can contact the Commission for the Control of Interpol’s Files (CCF), which reviews such applications. The appeal must be carefully prepared, including a full description of the situation and attached evidence.
A successful appeal of such warrants also requires a deep understanding of Interpol’s internal procedures. For example, it is necessary to demonstrate that the search is based on factual errors or does not meet the criteria established by Interpol’s constitution.
What is the procedure for contacting the Commission for the Control of Interpol’s Files?
To apply to the Commission, it is necessary to prepare a detailed package of documents. It includes:
- A complete description of the situation with an indication of facts and circumstances;
- Copies of all related documents, such as court decisions, arrest warrants, and other official papers;
- Evidence confirming the illegality of the search, such as expert opinions or materials from an independent investigation;
- Applicant’s identification and contact information.
After receiving the application, the Commission reviews it in order of priority. At the same time, an additional review may be conducted or additional materials may be requested. All decisions are made based on the collected evidence and taking into account international human rights standards.
Understanding which specific procedure for issuing an international search warrant is used is of great importance in protecting rights. After all, the correct interpretation of the rules determines how successfully one can prove the illegality of the actions of the initiator of the search.
