INTERPOL Red Notices: Understanding Global Law Enforcement Alerts and Extradition Processes
An INTERPOL Red Notice is a global law enforcement alert issued at the request of a member country to locate and provisionally arrest an individual pending extradition or similar legal proceedings. While often described as an 'international arrest warrant,' this characterization is inaccurate; a Red Notice is not a warrant and does not automatically authorize arrest in most jurisdictions. Its core purpose is to identify and help locate wanted individuals, notify police authorities across INTERPOL’s 195 member countries, and request provisional arrest. Each country independently decides how to act upon a Red Notice under its own domestic legal system. Some jurisdictions may consider it sufficient for detention, while others require a separate judicial arrest warrant. INTERPOL conducts an internal review for compliance with its legal framework, including Article 3 of its Constitution, which prohibits involvement in political, military, religious, or racial matters. However, this review is administrative, not...
