Leaked Files Reveal Russia’s Alleged Misuse of Interpol Wanted Lists

Leaked internal documents from Interpol — obtained by a whistleblower and reviewed by the BBC World Service and French outlet Disclose — suggest that Russia has repeatedly exploited the global police agency’s wanted notice system to target critics, political opponents, journalists and business figures living abroad.

The files indicate that for more than a decade Moscow has used Interpol red notices and red diffusions—international alerts requesting arrests or information sharing—by alleging ordinary crimes against individuals whom critics say are being pursued for political reasons rather than legitimate policing purposes. Analysts studying the data found that Russia generated more complaints to Interpol’s independent review body than any other country, nearly three times as many as the next highest nation on the list.

The Commission for the Control of Interpol’s Files (CCF), an internal watchdog, is shown in the documents to have rejected and overturned Russian requests at a high rate, suggesting many were deemed improperly political. The leaked material also suggests that some safeguards previously introduced by Interpol to prevent misuse were relaxed in 2025, according to the whistleblower’s account.

Among those affected is a Russian businessman who fled Moscow in 2022 and later discovered he was on an Interpol list, which effectively froze bank accounts and complicated his life abroad until the CCF ruled the notice was politically motivated and cancelled it after nearly two years. Journalists who left Russia have also reported being targeted in similar ways, with some internal Interpol communications showing requests for information even when formal notices were denied.

Interpol has defended its processes, saying it has strengthened protections against misuse and argues that it balances law enforcement cooperation with oversight. The agency denied prioritising police cooperation over preventing abuse, while Russia’s interior ministry did not respond to requests for comment. Legal experts say the revelations expose longstanding vulnerabilities in Interpol’s control systems and have called for tougher enforcement and penalties for countries found to be abusing the network’s mechanisms.