France probes Interpol president Nasser Al-Raisi for alleged torture, barbarism
- The Emirati general is accused of being responsible for the inhumane treatment in his home country of government opponent Ahmed Mansoor
- Despite earlier allegations, Raisi was voted in for the job in November, after the UAE made a generous donation to the international police agency
French anti-terror prosecutors have opened a preliminary inquiry into torture and acts of barbarism allegedly committed by Emirati General Ahmed Nasser Al-Raisi who in November became president of Interpol, judicial sources said.
The probe follows a legal complaint by an NGO which accused Raisi of being responsible for the torture of an opposition figure in his role as high-ranking official at the United Arab Emirates interior ministry.
The Gulf Centre for Human rights (GCHR), holding Raisi responsible for inhumane treatment of Ahmed Mansoor, an opponent of the Emirati government, lodged its complaint in January with the anti-terror prosecutors unit whose brief includes handling crimes against humanity.
Allegations of torture had already been levelled at Raisi by human rights organisations when he ran for president of Interpol saying they feared the agency would be at risk of exploitation by repressive regimes.
He was nevertheless voted in as president in November following generous funding from the UAE for the Lyon, France-based body.