Thousands of internal files from Interpol, obtained by the BBC, show how Russia uses the international police agency to target its critics abroad, including political opponents and journalists.

In the last decade, Russia has generated three times more complaints to Interpol's notice unit than Turkey, and its requests have been rejected more frequently than those of other countries. Although Interpol has introduced additional controls after the invasion of Ukraine, these have not prevented abuses.

An example is the case of Igor Pestrikov, a Russian businessman who challenged a red notice issued by Russia, arguing that it was politically motivated. Interpol canceled the request, but documents suggest that Russia continues to abuse the system, including through informal requests to track individuals abroad. Lawyers emphasize that Interpol should take stricter measures against abuses, including suspending countries that misuse red notices.