The International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL) plays an important role in fighting crime and facilitating cooperation between law enforcement agencies across countries. However, mistakes do happen — people can be wrongfully included in INTERPOL’s databases, especially in lists known as red notices. Such situations can seriously affect a person’s life, freedom, and reputation. In this article, we will explain why these errors occur, what consequences they cause, and what legal mechanisms exist to protect the rights of those affected.
Common INTERPOL Errors: From Political Persecution to Duplicate Requests
One of the most common problems related to INTERPOL’s work is the inclusion of individuals in the database who have not committed crimes or whose charges are politically motivated. Such cases often involve political persecution, where regimes or power groups use INTERPOL’s system to target opponents, activists, or dissidents. In these situations, red notices may serve as tools of political pressure rather than objective justice.
Another cause of wrongful inclusion is duplicate requests. Sometimes the same person appears multiple times in the database due to data confusion, disagreements between countries, or operator errors. This complicates information verification and makes the protection process more difficult.
There are also cases of misidentification — when, due to similarities in names, birthdates, or other details, innocent people are mistakenly considered wanted. The presence of outdated or incomplete information can lead to long delays in correcting these errors.
Consequences for Wrongfully Wanted Individuals: Restrictions, Arrests, and Reputational Risks
For a person accidentally listed in INTERPOL’s database with a red notice, the consequences can be catastrophic. Once on the list, restrictions begin immediately: inability to travel freely between countries, visa refusals, detentions at borders, and in some cases — arrests and even extradition.
Reputational risks are also significant. Wrongful inclusion can affect business reputation, career, relationships with family and friends. In today’s world, information spreads quickly, and even if charges are later dropped, the stigma from such an incident can last a long time.
Moreover, affected individuals face emotional and psychological pressure — constant stress, fear of arrest, inability to plan life and work. All this requires prompt and competent legal intervention.
Legal Ways to Protect Yourself: How to Get a Notice Removed and Restore Your Rights
Fortunately, there are several ways to protect your rights and achieve the removal of erroneous information from INTERPOL’s database. First and foremost, a professional legal approach is necessary, which includes:
- Situation Analysis and Evidence Gathering. Lawyers thoroughly study the reasons for inclusion in the database, verify documents, check for political motives, misidentification errors, or duplication.
- Appealing to the National Central Bureau of INTERPOL. Through this office, an official request can be submitted to review or remove the notice if there are grounds to believe it is erroneous.
- Utilizing Amicus Curiae Status. Some law firms specializing in international law offer assistance as amicus curiae — friendly advocates who help courts or organizations reach fair decisions. More information about such services can be found on the amicus curiae law firm website.
- Appealing to Judicial Authorities. In some countries, it is possible to challenge an INTERPOL notice in national courts, especially if there is evidence of human rights violations, political persecution, or procedural errors.
- Filing Complaints with International Human Rights Organizations. If the situation involves fundamental rights violations, one can contact organizations that help draw attention to the issue.
All of this work requires high professionalism, a deep knowledge of international law, and a thorough understanding of INTERPOL’s specifics. That is why it is recommended to turn to specialized experts who can build a competent defense and achieve the removal of the notice.
More detailed information about legal support in such situations can be found on the Interpol Law Firm website.
