French anti-terror prosecutors have opened a preliminary inquiry into torture and acts of barbarism allegedly committed by Emirati general Ahmed Nasser al-Raisi, according to judicial sources. In November Raisi became president of Interpol, reports The Guardian.
The inquiry follows a legal complaint by an NGO that accused Raisi of being responsible in his role as high-ranking official at the United Arab Emirates interior ministry for the torture of an opposition figure.
The Gulf Centre for Human Rights (GCHR), which holds 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.
Human rights groups had already made allegations of torture against Raisi when he ran for president of Interpol, saying they feared the agency would be at risk of exploitation by repressive regimes.
Raisi was nevertheless voted in as president in November after generous funding from the UAE for the body which is based in Lyon.