35 French lawmakers rip UAE official’s candidacy to be Interpol chief

Dozens of French legislators have protested against the candidacy of a United Arab Emirates (UAE) Interior Ministry official for president of Interpol, calling on President Emmanuel Macron to oppose the move.

A total of 35 members of the National Assembly – the lower house of the French Parliament – and the Senate – the upper chamber – warned in a letter on Thursday that Major General Ahmed Naser al-Raisi is on his way to become the head of the Lyon-based international police agency whilst “he has a long record of multiple abuses that should keep him away from such a responsibility.”  

The lawmakers further noted that Raisi is “directly responsible for police forces in his country, which operate with almost complete impunity.”

They accused the senior Emirati official of playing “a central role in the arbitrary detention and violations suffered by many human rights activists” in the Persian Gulf country.

Earlier this week, an independent London-based human rights group lodged a complaint in France against Raisi, inspector general at the UAE's Interior Ministry, accusing him of being responsible for the torture of prominent pro-democracy campaigner and rights activist Ahmed Mansoor.

Rights groups voice concern over deteriorating health of imprisoned UAE dissident

Rights groups voice serious concern over the deteriorating health condition of detained prominent Emirati pro-democracy activist Ahmed Mansoor.

The Persian Gulf Center for Human Rights (GCHR) filed its complaint at a Paris court.

The complaint states that Raisi, who is a member of Interpol's executive committee, is responsible for “torture and barbaric acts” against Mansoor.

The GCHR notes that the prominent UAE dissident is now being held under “medieval conditions” at the notorious al-Sadr prison in Abu Dhabi. He is being kept in solitary confinement in a tiny cell “without access to a doctor, hygiene, water and sanitary facilities.”

He was brought to court nearly a year later and sentenced to 10 years in jail and a fine of one million dirhams ($272,300).

He was convicted on charges of criticizing UAE authorities and tarnishing the image of the Persia Gulf country on social media. In December 2018, his final appeal was rejected.

Amnesty International describes Mansoor as a prisoner of conscience.

In theory, French judicial authorities can judge crimes against humanity, war crimes and torture under universal jurisdiction if suspects are on French territory, regardless of where the crimes took place.

UAE activist Mansoor given 10-year jail term for anti-government posts

The Emirati human rights activist has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for criticizing the government on social media.

Last year, Raisi was accused of being responsible for the torture of a British academic and a football fan.

Matthew Hedges, a British postgraduate student, claimed he was fed a cocktail of drugs during his imprisonment in Dubai on spying charges in 2018.

He was arrested during a research trip on suspicion of being a spy for the British intelligence service. He spent nearly seven months in a detention center – mostly in solitary confinement – in the UAE.

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