Two Britons who claim to have been tortured while “falsely detained” in the United Arab Emirates have called for the head of Interpol to be arrested while in Scotland this week.
Matthew Hedges and Ali Issa Ahmad claim they were subjected to torture while under arrest in the United Arab Emirates in 2018 and 2019, respectively.
The two men have now lodged a complaint with Police Scotland calling for the arrest of Ahmed Naser Al-Raisi, the current chairman of the international police agency Interpol.
They say Al-Raisi, who will chair a week-long conference in Glasgow, was involved in the torture the pair claim to have endured during their imprisonment.
Ahmad, a dual Sudanese and British citizen, was allegedly assaulted and jailed for wearing a Qatari football shirt while visiting Abu Dhabi to watch the Asian Cup match between Qatar and Iraq in January 2019.
Two men called for the arrest of Interpol president Ahmed Naser Al-Raisi.
Hedges was arrested 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.
Her complaint comes under universal jurisdiction, which allows states to arrest and prosecute those involved in torture found on their territory, regardless of where the crimes were committed.
Speaking to the Mail, Hedges urged Police Scotland to consider the implications of not arresting Al-Raisi and to ensure he does not receive “any special treatment”.
Mr Hedges said: “If the UK does not genuinely help people seek redress and accountability when there is clear evidence that he is in the country, we are setting a precedent for organizations like Interpol to be abused.”
Hedges and Ahmad have undertaken lengthy legal action to fight for justice and are now calling on Police Scotland to acknowledge Al-Raisi’s role in allowing their alleged mistreatment.
The president of Interpol is currently facing an investigation in France over allegations of torture and arbitrary detention, which he strongly denies.
The joint action by Hedges and Ahmad also comes amid discussions within the General Assembly to allow al-Raisi to run for a second term as President through an amendment to the Interpol Constitution.
Their call for Al-Raisi’s arrest is the sixth of its kind, following others made in Türkiye, Sweden, Norway and France.
A Police Scotland spokesperson said: “We have received correspondence and it will be responded to in due course.”
An Interpol spokesman said it was “a matter between the parties involved.”
