Our lawyers successfully challenged the misuse of Interpol’s Red Notice mechanism in a case of economic persecution. By proving that the accusations were unfounded and politically motivated, we secured the removal of the Red Notice and restored our client’s rights.
The Facts
The client, a local entrepreneur in Kyrgyzstan, became the target of business competitors seeking to redistribute property.
Criminal prosecution was used as a tool of pressure, with accusations of attempted murder fabricated to place the client on the wanted list.
The client was arrested in absentia, and a Red Notice was issued through Interpol channels.
Upon review, it was established that the information in the Interpol system concerned a different individual, not our client.
The arguments we put to the Commission
Our lawyers demonstrated that the accusations were fabricated and politically motivated, aimed at seizing property and eliminating business competition.
We provided detailed analysis of the circumstances of the alleged crime, including time, place, motive, and media reports, showing clear inconsistencies.
The arguments established reasonable doubt regarding the client’s involvement and highlighted violations of Interpol’s rules on data integrity and lawful use of its mechanisms.
A formal request was submitted to the Commission for the Control of Interpol’s Files (CCF) to remove the Red Notice and delete all related data.
What the Commission found
The CCF confirmed that the client had no connection to the alleged crime.
It was established that the attempted murder was spontaneous, not planned, and therefore could not involve conspiracy or organized participation.
The case was linked to political movements in Kyrgyzstan, further undermining the legitimacy of the charges.
The Commission recognized violations in the misuse of Interpol tools and accepted the arguments presented by our lawyers.
The Outcome
The international search initiated by Kyrgyzstan was terminated.
The Red Notice and all related data concerning the client were removed from Interpol’s databases.
The client’s rights were fully restored, and the case highlighted the importance of legal oversight in preventing economic and political persecution through misuse of Interpol mechanisms.
Two defects in one file
This file failed on both of the grounds most often available in commercial cases. The dispute itself was about property and competitors rather than crime, which is the pattern examined in the decisions on private and commercial disputes — the family with the strongest record of deletion. And the record itself turned out to describe someone else, which goes to the accuracy requirement addressed in the decisions on data quality: data that does not identify the right person cannot lawfully be processed at all. See our catalogue of CCF decisions for the full released record.
If your case is an abuse of Interpol, learn about removing a Red Notice.
This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. For advice specific to your situation, please consult a qualified lawyer.
One file is not a pattern. No two alerts turn on the same facts, and a ground that carried this case will not carry another where the underlying material is different. A case note shows the shape of the work and the kind of argument the Commission accepted — it is not a forecast of any other outcome.
Who will handle your case
Applications to the Commission for the Control of INTERPOL’s Files are drafted and signed by a senior partner, and you deal with that partner throughout — the argument you file is the one you discussed.
Fees are set after a free assessment of the file, because the work depends on whether a notice exists at all, which country supplied the data and how far the case behind it has gone. See the full team on our team page, or speak to a partner directly: +357 96 447475.