Two Britons who say they were tortured while ‘falsely detained’ in the United Arab Emirates have called for the president of Interpol to be arrested while he is in Scotland this week.
Matthew Hedges and Ali Issa Ahmad both state they were subjected to torture while under arrest in the UAE in 2018 and 2019 respectively.
The two men have now filed a complaint with Police Scotland calling for the arrest of Ahmed Naser Al-Raisi – the current president of the international police agency Interpol.
They say Mr Al-Raisi, who is set to lead a week-long conference in Glasgow, was involved in the torture they both claim to have endured during their incarceration.
Mr Ahmad, a dual Sudanese-British citizen, was allegedly assaulted and imprisoned for wearing a Qatar football shirt while visiting Abu Dhabi to watch the Asian Cup match between Qatar and Iraq in January 2019.
Two men have called for the arrest of Interpol president Ahmed Naser Al-Raisi
Mr Hedges was detained in Abu Dhabi between May and November 2018 and accused of spying for the UK Government. UK diplomats along with Mr Hedges and his family have repeatedly denied this claim.
Their complaint is being filed under universal jurisdiction which enables states to arrest and prosecute those involved in torture who are on their territory, regardless of where the crimes were committed.
Speaking to the Mail, Mr Hedges urged Police Scotland to consider the implications of failing to arrest Al-Raisi and to ensure he was not given ‘any special treatment’.
Mr Hedges said: ‘By the UK not actually helping people seek redress and accountability when there is clear evidence that he is in the country, we are then setting a precedent for organisations such as Interpol to be abused.’
Mr Hedges and Mr Ahmad have both taken lengthy legal action to fight for justice and are now calling for Police Scotland to recognise Mr Al-Raisi’s role in enabling their alleged mistreatment.
The Interpol president is currently facing an investigation in France over accusations of torture and arbitrary detention, which he strongly denies.
Mr Hedges’ and Mr Ahmad’s joint action also comes amid discussions within the General Assembly to allow Mr al-Raisi to stand for a second term as President via an amendment to the Interpol Constitution.
Their call for Mr Al-Raisi’s arrest is the sixth of its kind, with others filed in Turkey, Sweden, Norway and France.
A Police Scotland spokesman said: ‘We have received correspondence and it will be responded to in due course.’
A spokesman from Interpol said it was ‘an issue between the parties involved’.
