France opens torture case against president of Interpol
THE president of Interpol has been placed under formal investigation in France for overseeing the alleged torture of two British nationals.
Gen Ahmed Nasser al-raisi now risks being arrested if he travels to the organisation’s headquarters in Lyon, if the investigation develops.
He formerly served as inspector general of the interior ministry of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) when Matthew Hedges and Ali Issa Ahmed, a Sudanese-born British citizen, were detained there.
Mr Hedges claims he was interrogated for months without a lawyer in 2018, as well as being given a highly damaging cocktail of drugs.
Mr Ahmed, who visited Abu Dhabi in 2019 to attend the AFC Asian Cup, alleges that security officials carved the flag of Qatar on his chest as they objected to him supporting the team.
Yesterday their evidence was presented to a judge in Paris in the hopes that an arrest warrant will be issued.
“We want things to progress as quickly as possible,” said Rodney Dixon QC, their lawyer. The duo are also pursuing a civil complaint against Gen
Raisi in the UK. His election to the top post last November further concerned human rights campaigners, who claimed the body was becoming a “tool for dictators” as it had a willingness to issue arrest warrants against political opponents of authoritative regimes.
Mr Hedges said: “The fact that Raisi is now under formal investigation for alleged torture should put his leadership under question.
‘It has taken three years but I finally feel like we might actually achieve a positive result’
“What does it say about Interpol that this man has become its president, and what does it say about the governments that voted for him?”
The UK Government has refused to say whether it cast its vote for Gen Raisi during last year’s ballot.
Mr Ali said: “This is a great moment for us that the hearing has finally come.
“It has taken three years but I finally feel like we might actually achieve a positive result.”
The UAE has denied the allegations.