Dubai International Airport is one of the busiest in the world and one of the most common locations where our clients are first detained on the basis of an Interpol notice or bilateral warrant. The process moves quickly — understanding what to expect and having legal representation in place before you travel can make the difference between release and prolonged detention.

The United Arab Emirates, and Dubai in particular, has one of the highest rates of Interpol Red Notice arrests globally. The UAE cooperates actively with Interpol and has extradition treaties with dozens of countries, including Russia, Ukraine, China, and many European states. For individuals facing criminal proceedings abroad — especially Russian or Ukrainian nationals — Dubai can quickly become a trap: arriving on business or holiday, only to be detained at the airport on the basis of an Interpol notice or a bilateral extradition request.

Our team has handled numerous cases involving clients detained or at risk of arrest in Dubai and across the UAE. We understand the speed at which UAE authorities act and the legal tools available to suspend extradition proceedings and secure release.

Our Dubai-focused Interpol defence practice covers the full spectrum of international law challenges:

The UAE has bilateral extradition treaties with over 40 countries and operates under Federal Law No. 39 of 2006 on International Judicial Cooperation in Criminal Matters. Key features include:

• Political offence exception: The UAE will, in theory, refuse extradition for political offences — but in practice, enforcement is inconsistent, particularly for individuals from Russia and CIS states.
• Dual criminality: The alleged conduct must constitute a crime under UAE law to be extraditable. This provides a potential defence in many tax-related or “economic crime” cases.
• Detention pending extradition: Individuals can be held for extended periods while extradition proceedings are conducted. Bail is not always available.
• Interpol as a trigger: An Interpol Red Notice alone does not create a legal obligation to extradite, but UAE authorities frequently treat it as a basis for provisional arrest. Removing the Red Notice can prevent or interrupt extradition proceedings.

Our lawyers monitor both the Interpol CCF proceedings and any parallel extradition proceedings in UAE courts, ensuring a coordinated defence strategy.

The majority of our UAE clients share common characteristics:

• Russian or Ukrainian nationals residing or doing business in Dubai, targeted by Interpol notices issued by their home states
• Entrepreneurs and executives facing politically motivated prosecutions who relocated to the UAE for personal safety
• Individuals unaware of an active Red Notice until detained at DXB or flagged at a UAE border crossing
• Family members of detained persons seeking urgent legal help from abroad
• UAE residents subject to OFAC sanctions or EU/UK financial restrictions affecting their accounts or businesses

We provide urgent consultation — often within hours — and can mobilise parallel legal action in multiple jurisdictions simultaneously.

Russia is one of the top issuers of Interpol Red Notices globally and has an extradition treaty with the UAE. A Russian national living or transiting through Dubai is simultaneously exposed to:

• An Interpol Red Notice published at Russia’s request
• A Russian extradition request submitted directly to UAE authorities
• A Diffusion — a lower-profile but still dangerous Interpol alert that can trigger airport detention

In our experience, Russian-issued Red Notices often fail to meet Interpol’s standards — they frequently involve politically motivated charges, violations of due process, or breaches of the principle of non-discrimination. These grounds form the basis of a successful CCF challenge. However, time is critical: once detained in the UAE, the procedural options narrow considerably.

If you are a Russian national with connections to Dubai or planning to travel there, contact us immediately for a confidential risk assessment.

You can request access to any data Interpol holds on you via the Commission for the Control of Interpol’s Files (CCF). Our lawyers routinely submit Access Requests on behalf of clients planning to visit or relocate to the UAE. The CCF will confirm or deny the existence of a Red Notice or Diffusion. This is the safest way to assess your risk before travelling to Dubai.

We can submit an Access Request on your behalf and, if a notice is found, move immediately to a deletion application — all before you set foot in the UAE. Contact us to begin the process.