HomeINTERPOL Red Notice Lawyer in Dubai
An INTERPOL Red Notice can create serious legal risks for a person living in, visiting or travelling through Dubai. However, a Red Notice is not itself an international arrest warrant. It is a request to law-enforcement authorities worldwide to locate and provisionally arrest a person pending extradition, surrender or similar legal action. Each INTERPOL member country applies its own law when deciding what effect to give the notice.
Our lawyers assist clients in Dubai and the wider United Arab Emirates with INTERPOL Red Notice matters, including assessment of the notice, review of the underlying criminal case, possible challenges before INTERPOL and coordination with UAE extradition proceedings where necessary.
How Does an INTERPOL Red Notice Work in Dubai?
The United Arab Emirates is an INTERPOL member country. Its National Central Bureau is located in Abu Dhabi and connects UAE law-enforcement authorities with INTERPOL and other member countries through the I-24/7 police communications network.
A Red Notice may therefore become relevant when UAE authorities identify a person who is wanted internationally.
But the legal consequences are determined under UAE law. INTERPOL does not compel the UAE to arrest a person, and the Organization does not itself issue arrest warrants.
This distinction is important because an INTERPOL alert and a UAE extradition case are related but legally separate.
Can You Be Arrested in Dubai Because of a Red Notice?
A Red Notice can contribute to an international arrest and extradition process, but it should not be described as an automatic UAE arrest warrant.
The UAE regulates extradition and international judicial cooperation at federal level. Federal Law No. 39 of 2006 on International Judicial Cooperation in Criminal Matters remains active and was amended in 2023. It governs, among other matters, extradition requests and international criminal cooperation.
Whether a person can be detained or extradited therefore depends on the applicable UAE legal framework, the requesting state, the underlying warrant or judgment and any relevant treaty or reciprocity basis.
Red Notice and Extradition Are Separate Processes
A Red Notice and an extradition request are not the same thing.
INTERPOL processes international police information and notices. Extradition is a legal procedure governed by UAE federal law and, where applicable, bilateral or multilateral agreements.
The UAE Constitution places extradition within federal legislative jurisdiction.
A person facing a Red Notice in Dubai may therefore need two separate strategies:
- a challenge to the INTERPOL data; and
- legal defence in any UAE extradition proceedings.
Our international extradition lawyers can assess the national extradition process separately from the INTERPOL challenge.
What Should Be Reviewed in a Dubai Red Notice Case?
The first step is to establish the exact legal situation.
Our lawyers review issues such as:
- the country that requested the Red Notice;
- the underlying arrest warrant or court decision;
- the alleged criminal conduct;
- whether a formal extradition request has been submitted;
- whether there is a treaty or reciprocity basis;
- the accuracy and purpose of the INTERPOL data;
- relevant court, asylum or protection decisions; and
- whether there are grounds to challenge the notice before INTERPOL.
This review helps separate the international police alert from the national legal process taking place in the UAE.
Can an INTERPOL Red Notice Be Challenged From Dubai?
Yes.
A person in Dubai can challenge personal data processed through INTERPOL without travelling to INTERPOL headquarters.
Requests concerning access to, correction of or deletion of INTERPOL data are considered by the Commission for the Control of INTERPOL’s Files.
Possible grounds depend on the facts. They may involve the accuracy or relevance of the data, the purpose of processing, the character of the underlying proceedings, human-rights issues or other requirements under INTERPOL’s Constitution and Rules on the Processing of Data.
Where the main objective is deletion of the notice, our Red Notice removal lawyers can assess whether a formal CCF challenge is appropriate.
What Happens if UAE Extradition Proceedings Begin?
If extradition proceedings start in the UAE, they must be handled under the applicable national legal framework rather than through INTERPOL.
Federal Law No. 39 of 2006 defines the UAE Ministry of Justice as the central authority for international judicial cooperation and identifies the competent judicial authorities involved in extradition matters.
The exact procedure depends on the requesting country and the legal basis for the request.
A challenge to the INTERPOL data does not automatically cancel an extradition request. Equally, a national decision concerning extradition does not automatically remove data from INTERPOL’s systems.
Where both processes are active, they should be coordinated but treated as distinct legal proceedings.
Legal Help With an INTERPOL Red Notice in Dubai
A Red Notice case in Dubai can involve several authorities at the same time: INTERPOL, the UAE National Central Bureau, foreign prosecutors and UAE judicial authorities.
Our legal team can review the international alert, assess the underlying criminal proceedings and determine whether action is required before INTERPOL, within the UAE legal system or both.
Early legal review is particularly important where there is uncertainty about an existing Red Notice, a foreign arrest warrant or a possible extradition request.
Contact our team for a confidential assessment of an INTERPOL Red Notice affecting you in Dubai or elsewhere in the United Arab Emirates.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I challenge a Red Notice before a formal extradition request is filed in the UAE?
Yes. A challenge to INTERPOL data is separate from UAE extradition proceedings. You do not need to wait for a formal extradition request before asking the CCF to review whether the Red Notice complies with INTERPOL’s rules. The CCF examines the lawfulness of INTERPOL data, not the outcome of national extradition proceedings.
If a UAE court refuses extradition, will INTERPOL automatically delete the Red Notice?
No. Refusal of extradition by a national court does not automatically remove a Red Notice from INTERPOL’s databases. However, the extradition decision may be relevant evidence in a later CCF challenge, depending on the reasons for refusal and the circumstances of the case. INTERPOL’s own decisions show that national extradition outcomes can be considered without automatically determining whether the Notice must be deleted.
