Reactions to the controversial candidate claiming the reins of Interpol
In a few days, a new head of Interpol will be elected. ΑπόOne of the candidates is Lt. Gen. Al Raisi from the United Arab Emirates. He is accused of human rights violations.
Concerned and not the only ones: Three German MPs, Kay Goering, Peter Hyde and Frank Schwaben, wrote a joint statement. They express their concern about the candidacy of Lt. Gen. Ahmed Nasser Al Raisi from the United Arab Emirates for the post of head of Interpol. The election will take place from November 23rd to 25th in Istanbul. In case Al Raisi is elected, he will succeed South Korean Kim Jong Un, who has been in this position since 2018.
Reactions from the United Arab Emirates
But what is it that makes the 3 deputies react? They fear that his election will have serious consequences for the legal culture of Interpol "because of his country's disastrous history of respect for human rights". But internationally there are doubts as reported by DW . In late October, Human Rights Watch, along with 17 other human rights groups, expressed concern about al-Raisi's candidacy. In France, 35 French lawmakers called on President Macron to oppose the candidacy.
German lawmakers say he was "directly involved in human rights abuses in a series of high-profile cases". At the same time, they see in his face an active representative of the authoritarian regime, when he had been appointed Inspector General of the Ministry of Interior in 2015 ". Their written statement also states that individual and political rights are severely restricted, and opposition members, journalists and human rights defenders are often subjected to repression under the draconian anti-terrorism law.
The United Arab Emirates denies the allegations. In response to Deutsche Welle, it was stated that "as a member of the Interpol Executive Committee, General Al Raisi is considered a highly respected expert with 40 years of experience in the police". The written statement also states that Al Raisi, as the president of Interpol, will continue to work for the protection of the people, the strengthening of security in the communities and the modernization of the service in the fight against criminal networks. The United Arab Emirates is called one of the safest countries in the world.
Lawsuits of former prisoners
But reactions are also coming from within the country, from foreigners who have been imprisoned, such as British science politician Matthew Henzes. In May 2018, he was arrested at Dubai Airport after a two-week stay in the country for research purposes, conducting a series of interviews for his doctorate. Authorities accused him of spying on behalf of the United Kingdom. In November of the same year he was sentenced to life, but a few days later he was pardoned. In May 2021, Henjes filed a lawsuit against four representatives of the authorities involved in his arrest, including Lt. Gen. Al Raisi.
"I was psychologically intimidated by him and threatened," Henzes told DW. "I was told that no one knew where I was and that I had no choice. The guards tortured me for insomnia, I had panic attacks and they inadvertently gave me the anesthetic Ritalin in combination with sedatives. I got to the point where I wanted to commit suicide. "All of this was a systematic abuse of power." The possibility of Al Raisi becoming president of Interpol is tantamount to a scandal for Henzes. "He is responsible for the torture, how can such a person lead such a service? It is ridiculous". There are many similar cases.
Kay Goering, a German Green MP, is convinced that an oppressive state that violates such fundamental human rights and the rule of law should not influence major international police organizations. He is particularly critical of the possible misuse of international search warrants, the so-called Red Notices, by repressive state mechanisms to be used to apprehend political opponents. Among them is activist and blogger Ahmed Mansour.
Both Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch allege human rights abuses in the United Arab Emirates. The Gulf Center for Huma Rights sued al-Raisi in a French court, accusing him of torturing Mansour.
