“Mr Ahmed Nasser al-Raisi of the United Arab Emirates has been elected to the post of President (4-yr term),” Interpol announced on Twitter on Thursday. It would have been an unexciting announcement, were it not for the fact that al-Raisi stands accused of torture, with claims filed in both France and Turkey in recent months, and several European Parliament members having publicly objected to his appointment. “The election of General al-Raisi would undermine the mission and reputation of Interpol and severely affect the ability of the organization to carry out its mission effectively,” the EU parliamentarians wrote in a letter to the President of the European Commission. Disquiet regarding al-Raisi’s possible appointment first arose as early as October, 2020, when 19 NGOs, including Human Rights Watch, expressed their concern, calling him “part of a security apparatus that continues to systematically target peaceful critics.” In June, the Lebanon-based Gulf Centre for Human Rights (GCHR) filed a complaint against al-Raisi, then inspector general at the UAE interior ministry, at a Paris court, Al-Jazeera reports. The complaint alleged that al-Raisi was responsible for “torture and barbaric acts” against a prominent UAE dissident who was being held in a prison in Abu Dhabi in “medieval conditions … without access to a doctor, hygiene, water and sanitary facilities.” As the person in control of the UAE’s security forces, the complaint alleged, al-Raisi’s role was “established.” A year prior to that complaint, al-Raisi was accused of torturing a British academic. The role of president of Interpol is largely ceremonial. Secretary-General Juergen Stock is the figure who handles the day-to-day management of the organization. Nonetheless, German MP Peter Heidt criticized the appointment. “We know that Interpol needs money, and the Arabic Emirates gave money to Interpol and they will continue this,” he told Deutsche Welle . “Is that a good situation? It would be better that Interpol gets the money from all the state members and did not need money just as a gift.” “It is an honor to have been elected to serve as the next president of Interpol,” al-Raisi said in a statement. “Interpol is an indispensable organization built on the strength of its partnerships. It is this collaborative spirit, united in mission, that I will continue to foster as we work to make a safer world for people and communities.” Related articles: Interpol pursuing Lev Tahor cult member who escaped raid Mossad discovers attacks targeting Olympics 'Interpol must put Hamas leaders on wanted list' Israeli staged kidapping in Ethiopia to get money from family
