For a century, it has been an alliance that has fought against organized crime and drug trafficking. Interpol, 195 countries which exchange information on a daily basis, with a key weapon: the red notice. A search notice issued by member states. Today, police around the world share more than 60,000 of these red sheets. Often justified, they are also sometimes diverted for political purposes by authoritarian states.
In his past life, Yoann Barbereau experienced some storms. Bad memories which, even today, rise to the surface when he leaves French territory, like that afternoon, towards Italy. “When I cross a border, there’s always a little somethingdescribes the man who is today a writer. It’s the idea that the slightest check can trigger an arrest, questions or investigation“. For almost three years, Yoann Barbereau was wanted by police around the world, targeted by an Interpol red card. In February 2015, while leading the Alliance Française of Irkutsk in Russia, he was arrested by the Russian police. She accuses him of child pornography without proof. It’s a set-up. A Kompromat, as the Russians call it. Imprisoned then placed under house arrest, Yoann Barbereau manages to escape. But on his return to France, he discovered that Interpol, at Russia’s request, had placed him on its wanted lists. Every time he crosses a border, even 3000 km from Moscow, he risks arrest. “That was an additional level in the revolt to see that I could be hunted down through the cooperation of international police”, he says today. In 2020, three years after the Russian report, Interpol recognizes in this document the abusive nature of the red notice.
“Repressive regimes have seized upon Interpol’s powerful tools to harass and detect their perceived enemies anywhere in the world.”
Roger Wicker, Republican senator, 2019
The mishap experienced by this Frenchman is far from being an isolated case. Contested wanted posters regularly make the headlines in the international media. And the alerts were sometimes even launched from the Capitol grounds in Washington. “Repressive regimes have seized the powerful tools of Interpol to harass and detect their suspected enemies anywhere in the world”declared on September 12, 2019, Republican Senator Roger Wicker, then vice-president of the committee on cooperation and security in Europe.
Russia, China, Qatar, Iran. According to our information, several nationals of these countries have been the subject of a red notice for their associative or activist commitment. This is particularly the case of the individual, on Interpol red file for money laundering, whom we were able to reach by telephone during our investigation. On the other end of the line, he talks about political manipulation and says today he is forced to live in confinement, with his family, somewhere in the Middle East. He says, anonymously: “I can’t even leave my house, I live like I’m in prison. I can’t do anything, I can’t even enroll my children in school. I am shocked that Interpol sent me a red notice when there is no proof. It completely destroyed my life.”
Limited control of red notices
So why does Interpol issue questionable Red Notices? How does the organization control search notices from its member states? In a procedural document that we obtained, Interpol recognizes in black and white that its power of verification is restricted: “The Commission emphasizes that it has no authority to conduct an investigation, evaluate evidence or make a decision on the merits of a case.”
A situation denounced by human rights defenders and by a Parisian lawyer, Maître Stéphane Babonneau. According to him, the State issuing the red sheet can knowingly refuse to communicate the reasons. “In many cases, describes the lawyer, countries are opposed because they know that if this information is communicated, it could expose the abusive nature. So they prefer to keep the motive secret.” After several weeks of investigation, we had many questions to ask Interpol. The Lyon-based institution refused our requests for a filmed interview but she agreed to respond, in writing, to suspicions of misuse of red notices. “Red notices are powerful cooperation toolsspecifies Interpol and adds: some believe that Interpol is overwhelmed by non-compliant red notices. It’s just not true.” Interpol nevertheless recognizes that of the 60,000 red notices in circulation, one file in 20 could raise questions. Furthermore, the alliance would like to recall its effectiveness in the fight against organized crime and international police cooperation.
Among our sources (non-exhaustive list):
“The tools of transnational repression”, American Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe, 2019.
“Under influence, Interpol and the United Arab Emirates”, report by Sir David Calvert-Smith, 2021.
Press Service, Interpol.
“Interpol: the investigation”, Mathieu Martinière and Robert Schmidt, Harper Collins, 2023.
“Dirty work: the misuse of Interpol red notices”, Skynews, 2023