New Interpol president is an Emirati general accused of overseeing torture

CNN ^ | November 25, 2021

[BenLurkin]

General Ahmed Naser al-Raisi....who has been part of the UAE's police force since 1980 and serves as inspector general at the country's ministry of interior, received 68.9% of the vote at Interpol's general assembly in Istanbul. The role is largely ceremonial -- he will chair the general assembly as well as three executive committee meetings for each of the four years of his tenure.

The vote went through despite criminal cases made by ex-detainees. Matthew Hedges, who was detained in the UAE for seven months, filed a claim for damages at the High Court of London against Raisi and several other senior Emirati officials. He accused them of assault, torture and false imprisonment.

Raisi has vowed to build a "more transparent, diverse, and decisive" Interpol.

"I am delighted to have been elected as President today, and it is the honor of my career to serve citizens across the world, on behalf of the UAE," Raisi said in a statement.

The elections have been postponed by a year due to the pandemic. In October 2020, 19 human rights groups criticized Raisi's candidacy for Interpol president, saying his presidency would "both undermine the mission and reputation of Interpol and severely impact the ability of the organization to carry out its mission effectively and in good faith."

[dfwgator]

Reinhard Heydrich was once the head of Interpol.

[BobL]

“In October 2020, 19 human rights groups criticized Raisi’s candidacy”

I’m getting to like this new guy.