Al-Raisi: Power-Backed Emirati Candidate for Interpol Candidacy What is it in the world that money can’t buy? In answer to this most common question, the United Arab Emirates says, “nothing”. This has been evident in the approach that the Arab nation has been opting for a long time. Wealth and power are two weapons that the UAE has been using to gain influence on various global platforms. The latest target of the Emirates is the International Criminal Police Organization. For over a year, the country has been pushing for the selection of its candidate to become the Interpol president in the 2022. However, like every Emirati venture, the Interpol candidacy also failed to safeguard itself from the criticism. Ahmed Naser Al-Raisi, the name and face representing the UAE on the international police organization, has been condemned by various human rights groups for his involvement in the detention and torture of prisoners of conscience. Interpol also received a warning that Al-Raisi’s victory could impact the agency’s credibility and the integrity of its Red Notice System. Recently, an open letter to the Interpol General Assembly by eight human rights organizations expressed deep concerns about the Emirati candidate. They also asked the members to “be aware of the legal cases brought against Al-Raisi”, urging them to reject his candidacy. Viewed as an “international pariah”, the UAE candidate has been alleged of some serious human rights violations. As a person in-charge of the Emirati security and police forces, Al-Raisi was accused of the unauthorized arrest and torture of a British academic, Matthew Hedges; rights activist, Ahmed Mansoor; and a British football fan, Ali Issa Ahmad. Since the UAE announced its candidate for the Interpol presidency, a number of complaints were being filed against Naser Al-Raisi. In June 2021, a French lawyer William Bourdon lodged an official complaint with the Prosecutor’s Office in Paris against General Al-Raisi, with regard to the arrest and torture of Mansoor.
In the same month, French President Emmanuel Macron was appealed for the second time to not support Al-Raisi’s candidacy. The appeal was made by 35 Parliamentarians, Members of Parliament and Senators, highlighting the torture complaints against him. Opposition against Al-Raisi is still growing, as recently the lawyers filed another complaint against him, citing his role in the detention and torture of Hedges and Ali Ahmad. As the criticism is growing, the UAE is taking all efforts to promote its candidate. As per the reports, the Emirates has been promoting Al-Raisi by organizing trips for him to the member countries of Interpol. The Arab nation’s move is in support of encouraging the General’s candidacy. The Emirati efforts pushing for Al-Raisi’s win are one of its many attempts of turning things in its favourable directions by displaying its wealth and power. General Naser’s bid to become the Interpol president is not controversial merely for his personal human rights violations, but also because the Emirati influence over the organization would be risky for its reputation. The UAE has already been denounced for its influential donation of $50 million to Interpol in 2017. The results of Interpol’s presidency bid would be interesting to explain if the UAE’s wealth can suppress the human rights violations of the country and its candidate.