Information concerning the international search for a person suspected of a criminal offense is entered into INTERPOL’s database. From that moment, the person is assigned what is commonly referred to as a Red Notice. To obtain access to information in the database, an application must be made to the Commission for the Control of INTERPOL’s Files. Alexander Ovchynnykov can assist with this process.
He will prepare a request for:
A lawyer’s submission to INTERPOL is prepared in one of the organization’s working languages and in accordance with the applicable requirements.
Some more complex cases require additional applications. An INTERPOL lawyer can prepare and submit requests for:
Extradition is another area in which lawyer Alexander Ovchynnykov works. The system for surrendering wanted persons to requesting states is not perfect. There are situations in which extradition mechanisms are used to persecute political opponents or seize businesses. An INTERPOL lawyer will protect the interests of a person facing such circumstances and help restore justice. A client subject to extradition will receive a full range of legal services. Where necessary, Alexander Ovchynnykov will apply for political asylum or challenge extradition before the Strasbourg Court.
INTERPOL uses a special system of color-coded notices. These notices are circulated to dozens of countries at the same time and may provide a basis for action by police, border authorities, and other government agencies. Each notice is a signal with a specific purpose: to seek arrest, locate a person, warn of a threat, or recover stolen property.
Red Notice
Used when a state seeks to locate and arrest a person for subsequent extradition. The basis is a criminal case or an existing conviction. If a Red Notice appears in INTERPOL’s database, the person comes to the attention of the competent authorities of all member countries.
Blue Notice
Used when the objective is simply to locate a person, who is not necessarily a suspect. The person may be a witness, a victim, or someone of interest to an investigation. The purpose is to establish the person’s location and obtain information.
Green Notice
Used when a person is known to pose a potential threat to public safety. It concerns individuals who have been involved in criminal activity or are considered likely to engage in it.
Yellow Notice
Used to locate missing persons and help identify people who are unable to identify themselves for various reasons, including children, elderly persons, and people with injuries or mental health conditions.
Black Notice
Used when a body has been found but the person’s identity cannot be established. It helps authorities contact other countries in case someone there may be searching for the person.
Purple Notice
Focused on criminal methods. It contains information about methods used to conceal evidence, transport drugs, commit forgery, and carry out other schemes. It helps law enforcement agencies understand what they may encounter.
Orange Notice
Used when there is a potential threat, whether from a dangerous substance or a person. For example, it may concern a suspect capable of committing a terrorist attack or the reported use of an explosive device.
Special UN Notice
Issued to provide information about individuals and companies subject to sanctions imposed by the UN Security Council. UN notices follow a special protocol.
Stolen Works of Art Notice
INTERPOL also works to protect cultural heritage. If paintings, sculptures, or other valuable works of art are stolen, a separate notice may be issued to help locate them around the world, from auctions to private collections.
In January 2025, INTERPOL introduced a new Silver Notice as part of its toolkit. It responds to the need to combat financial crime. Where a person is suspected of holding assets obtained through criminal activity — real estate, businesses, vehicles, or bank accounts — an international request can now be initiated using this notice. The Silver Notice is currently operating as a pilot. Its purpose is to gather information about assets and lay the groundwork for their seizure and recovery. It concerns cases involving corruption, money laundering, fraud, environmental crime, and other offenses.
In addition to notices, countries have another tool: a diffusion. A country itself chooses the states to which the diffusion will be sent, and it may not undergo the same rigorous legal review as a notice. This mechanism is used frequently, especially when a rapid response is required but there is not enough time or sufficient grounds to issue a Red Notice.
If a Red Notice or diffusion has been circulated, the risk of detention is real. It may occur at an airport, when crossing a border, at a bank, or at a consulate when submitting documents. Once a person is detained, extradition proceedings begin. If you or someone close to you has come to INTERPOL’s attention, it is important not to panic but to act carefully and strategically. Alexander Ovchynnykov knows how to work with each type of notice and protect clients’ interests at the international level.
1. What is INTERPOL?
INTERPOL is an international criminal police organization headquartered in Lyon, France. Its highest governing body is the General Assembly, which meets every year. Day-to-day work is carried out by the General Secretariat on a permanent basis. The Executive Committee, consisting of 13 members, meets three times a year. INTERPOL has its own official publication, International Criminal Police Review. The organization includes 192 countries, each of which has a National Central Bureau through which the country’s law enforcement agencies interact with the bureaus of other states and with the INTERPOL General Secretariat. Russia joined INTERPOL in 1990.
2. What does INTERPOL do?
The primary task of this international organization is to coordinate the actions of different states in combating ordinary crime. INTERPOL coordinates:
Under its Constitution, the organization is prohibited from undertaking investigations of a political, racial, military, or religious character.
3. What opportunities does Russia’s participation in INTERPOL provide?
Each member country gains access to information stored in INTERPOL’s databases, including information on wanted persons, vehicles, valuables, and documents. Law enforcement agencies in member states maintain round-the-clock communication through a global telecommunications system that is securely protected against unauthorized access. This makes it possible to exchange up-to-date information about crimes quickly and to coordinate the actions of countries participating in INTERPOL effectively.
4. How is an international search organized through INTERPOL?
International searches are one of the organization’s principal areas of work. INTERPOL’s capabilities make it possible to conduct searches worldwide. Operational search measures are carried out not only in the country where the crime occurred but also beyond its borders. Such work includes international searches for:
5. In what circumstances is an international search conducted?
INTERPOL conducts international searches when certain conditions are met. Reliable information must have been obtained that the wanted person or item has left the territory of the state that initiated the search. A search may also be conducted if it has been reliably established that the wanted person has relatives, friends, or business partners outside the Russian Federation. Information indicating that a wanted person intends to leave the country may also provide grounds for initiating an international search.
6. Who can request an international search?
A country’s internal affairs authority may ask INTERPOL to initiate an international search for an individual, a legal entity, or an item of value. The request specifies the grounds for the search, the preventive measure selected by the requesting state, and whether, if the wanted person is located, it is appropriate to monitor the person’s movements, detain them, and subsequently extradite them to the country that initiated the search. The request is sent by post or, where urgent action is required, by fax. In Russia, such requests may be submitted by a regional prosecutor’s office, the operational directorate of the Federal Protective Service, customs authorities, chief bailiffs of the constituent entities and their deputies, internal affairs authorities, security agencies, the Federal Drug Control Service, and the Federal Penitentiary Service.
7. How long does INTERPOL take to consider international search requests?
The time required depends on the specific nature of the request submitted by the member country. Requests may be considered:
8. When is an international search terminated?
INTERPOL terminates an international search for persons accused, charged, or convicted of criminal offenses when the purpose of the search has been achieved or one year has elapsed since it began. However, the period may be extended. The search is terminated if:
9. What requirements should a lawyer meet to work with INTERPOL?
A lawyer assisting with an INTERPOL matter and representing a client before this international organization should have a good command of one of INTERPOL’s official languages — French, English, Arabic, or Spanish. The lawyer should also have an excellent understanding of legal issues relating to INTERPOL’s activities and international criminal law.
10. What services does an INTERPOL lawyer provide?
The lawyer prepares requests and applications to INTERPOL’s National Central Bureau concerning international child abduction and criminal-law matters, including extradition.