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Knowledge Nugget: Interpol Red Notice

Subject: International organizations

(Relevance: International organizations are an important part of the UPSC CSE syllabus. Additionally, knowing about Interpol and its notices is crucial for UPSC aspirants to understand international cooperation in law enforcement.)

Bangladesh’s interim government on November 10 said it will seek Interpol’s assistance in repatriating deposed prime minister Sheikh Hasina from India, and other “fugitives”, to face trial for alleged crimes against humanity.

1. Interpol notices are international requests made by memeber countries for cooperation or alerts allowing police in member countries to share critical crime-related information.

2. Interestingly, such notices can also be used by the United Nations, International Criminal Tribunals and the International Criminal Court to seek persons wanted for committing crimes within their jurisdiction.

3. The notices are:

????Red Notice: To seek the location/arrest of a person wanted by a judicial jurisdiction or an international tribunal with a view to his/her extradition.

????Green Notice: To warn about a person’s criminal activities if that person is considered to be a possible threat to public safety.

????Blue Notice: To locate, identify or obtain information on a person of interest in a criminal investigation.

????Yellow Notice: To locate a missing person or to identify a person unable to identify himself/herself.

????Black Notice: To seek information on unidentified bodies.

????Orange Notice: To warn of an event, a person, an object or a process representing an imminent threat and danger to persons or property.

????Purple Notice: To provide information on modus operandi, procedures, objects, devices, or hiding places used by criminals.

????Interpol UNSC Special Notice: To inform Interpol’s members that an individual or an entity is subject to UN sanctions.

Interpol Red Notice

1. A Red Notice requests law enforcement worldwide to locate and temporarily arrest a person pending extradition or similar legal action.

A Red Notice is an international alert for a wanted person, but it is not an arrest warrant.

2. Red notices are based on arrest warrants or court orders issued by the judicial authorities in the requesting country. Member countries apply their laws in deciding whether to arrest a person.

3. Red notices contain information that helps identify wanted persons, such as their names, date of birth, nationality, and physical attributes such as the color of their hair and eyes, as well as pictures and biometric data such as fingerprints, if they are available. RNs also mention the crime(s) they are wanted for.

4. A red notice is published by Interpol at the request of a member country. The fugitives may be wanted for prosecution or to serve a sentence. It is issued only after a competent court has taken cognizance of a chargesheet against the fugitive.

5. According to Interpol’s website,  an RN must comply with its constitution and rules. It says that “every Red Notice request is checked by a specialised task force to ensure it is compliant with (Interpol) rules”.

6. Notably, Interpol cannot force law enforcement authorities in any country to arrest individuals who are subjects of a Red Notice. Each member country determines the legal weight of a Red Notice and the power of its law enforcement officers to make arrests.

1. The Interpol, or International Criminal Police Organization, established in 1923, is an inter-governmental organisation comprising 196 member countries, which helps police forces in all these countries to better coordinate their actions.

2. Interpol enables member countries to share and access data on crimes and criminals, and offers a range of technical and operational support.

3. The general secretariat coordinates the Interpol’s day-to-day activities. It is run by a secretary-general (currently Valdecy Urquiza of Brazil), with its headquarters in Lyon, France, with a global complex for innovation in Singapore, and several satellite offices in different regions.

4. The General Assembly is Interpol’s governing body and brings all countries together once a year to make decisions.

5. Interpol has a National Central Bureau (NCB) in each member country, which is the central point of contact for both the general secretariat and the other NCBs around the world. Each NCB is run by police officials of that country, and usually sits in the government ministry responsible for policing. (In the case of India, it is Home Ministry)

6. Notably, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in India is officially designated single point of contact for liaison with the Interpol.

7. According to the Interpol website, it manages 19 police databases with information on crimes and criminals (from names and fingerprints to stolen passports), accessible in real-time to countries. It also offers investigative support such as forensics, analysis, and assistance in locating fugitives around the world.

(Sources: Bangladesh’s interim govt to seek Interpol support to repatriate Hasina, What is an Interpol Red Notice, what does it do?,UPSC Essentials: Interpol)

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