What are Interpol and international wanted lists?
The International Criminal Police Organization Interpol was created to unite the efforts of law enforcement agencies of member states in the fight against crime. Interpol headquarters are located in France, in the city of Lyon. Interpol organizes international wanted lists of persons suspected of committing serious criminal offenses and coordinates the actions of National Central Bureaus (NCBs). Today, Interpol unites more than 190 states.
It is worth noting that Interpol employees do not conduct wanted lists themselves. However, any state can transfer information about a person’s wanted list to Interpol. After a preliminary check, the information is registered using Interpol notifications. For example, a red card (notification) makes it possible to detain and subsequently extradite a wanted person.
What does representation at Interpol include?
Representation at Interpol covers a wide range of activities and services provided by lawyers specializing in international law. One of the main tasks of such lawyers is to protect the rights and interests of clients who have encountered problems related to Interpol, such as unlawful inclusion on the wanted list, issuance of red notices and extradition.
Lawyers representing clients at Interpol must have a thorough knowledge of international criminal law, rules and procedures, as well as the ability to negotiate and represent the client’s interests at the international level. These specialists help their clients challenge Interpol decisions, provide evidence of the unlawfulness of charges or actions and ensure a fair resolution of conflict situations.
An important part of the work of lawyers representing clients at Interpol is to prevent abuses by law enforcement agencies and states that may use Interpol for political or economic purposes, violating human rights and international law. In such cases, lawyers play an important role in ensuring justice and protecting the rights and freedoms of clients in the international arena.
How to find out if you have a wanted list card?
The easiest way to check for a red notice is to view the database on the Interpol website. However, it is worth considering that the absence of information about a specific person in this database does not guarantee that he or she is not the subject of an international search. To obtain accurate information about the presence or absence of a red notice or diffusion, you should send an official request to the Commission for the Control of Interpol’s Files.
To submit a request, you must use a special form available on the Interpol website. The assistance of a lawyer is not required when submitting a request. However, we would like to note that if the applicant prefers not to provide his or her address directly to the Commission, the request can be sent through a lawyer who will handle further communication with the Commission.
After receiving the request, the Commission will check for a wanted list in the Interpol system. If there is no notification, the applicant will be sent a notification about the absence of information about his or her wanted list. If information appears, the Commission will automatically notify the applicant or his or her representative. If the Interpol system contains information on an international wanted notice, the Commission will request permission from the state concerned to provide the information to the applicant. Once permission has been received from the state, the applicant or his representative will receive a formal notification from the Commission, which will contain the type of wanted notice (red notice or diffusion), a brief description of the charges (or, if the person has already been convicted, the nature of the sentence), the date the notice was sent to Interpol and additional information.
How does an appeal against an international wanted list take place?
Appealing an Interpol wanted list is a procedure that allows a person to defend their rights. The appeal process includes several key stages:
- It is necessary to submit an application in one of the official languages of Interpol (English, French), observing all the requirements for the design and submission of documents.
- The File Control Commission reviews the submitted petition and determines its admissibility.
- If the petition is deemed admissible, the commission begins to consider it.
The review period depends on the specific request. Usually, access to data is provided within 4 months, but in practice the period may be shorter. Issues of correction or deletion of data can take up to 9 months.
