Allegation of torture – complaint filed against the head of Interpol in Vienna

The two victims, Matthew Hedges and Ali Issa Ahmad, spoke to journalists in Vienna on Monday about their suffering in custody. Lawyer Rodney Dickson said of the two human rights cases: “Nothing was done, even afterwards,” to hold those responsible in the Emirates to account. Al-Raisi was inspector general in the UAE before his election as head of Interpol in 2021, when the two Britons were arrested and convicted in 2018 and 2019 respectively. The complaint in Austria has now been filed because Al-Raisi is here for the conference and under universal jurisdiction action can be taken against suspected perpetrators in crimes against humanity, regardless of citizenship and crime scene.

One of the victims was held in solitary confinement for seven months
Matthew Hedges was in the Emirates in 2018 doing research for his PhD when he was arrested on charges of spying for Britain. During his seven months in solitary confinement, he was given drug cocktails and threatened with dark imprisonment in another country, such as Yemen. “I heard cries of pain” from abused prisoners nearby, he said in Vienna. He was forced to make a false confession. After a seven-month trial, he was sentenced to life imprisonment. After great international pressure he was released.

Here is one of the alleged victims talking about his experiences:

Hedges, who was accompanied to Vienna by his wife, who was also deeply involved in the case, is convinced: “Al-Raisi was certainly involved” in his high position at the time. As head of Interpol, he is damaging the reputation of this international institution. In September 2023, Britain officially apologized in the Hedges case for failing to recognize signs of torture during a prison visit.

T-shirt with ‘wrong’ flag, reason for arrest of second accuser
Ali Issa Ahmad came to the UAE in 2019 as a fan for a football tournament. His T-shirt showed the flag of the Gulf state of Qatar. This was apparently enough to get him arrested, as Qatar was in disfavor among its neighbors at the time. While in custody he was given electric shocks, beaten and injured by fire. Ahmad said he was barely given food or water. He was initially denied contact with the British embassy. Ultimately, he was forced to sign a confession that he had committed wrongdoing. Ahmad was also released after international intervention.

The lawsuit now being filed in Vienna also refers to the case of Bahraini dissident Ahmed Jaafar Mohammed Ali, who applied for asylum in Serbia in 2021. He was arrested there in January 2022 and illegally flown to Bahrain on a UAE plane. According to the lawyer, a member of the UAE’s ruling family was behind this action. The dissident is still imprisoned in Bahrain. Lawyer Dickson quoted the Gulf state citizen he was representing: “My suffering has been unimaginable since I have been imprisoned for life in Bahrain.”

Interpol is said to have approved the transfer to Bahrain
The case of the dissident who was illegally kidnapped from Serbia and transferred to Bahrain was the first of its kind since Al-Raisi took office as president of Interpol. Both Serbia and Bahrain said the operation was carried out with Interpol’s approval. The European Court of Human Rights ruled against this. In Vienna, lawyer Dickson criticized the election of Al-Raisi as head of Interpol and complained about the lack of action against torture today.

Already the fifth lawsuit against Al-Raisi
In the case of the two Britons, who have now come to Vienna accompanied by their lawyers, the lawsuit against Al-Raisi filed in Austria on Monday is already the fifth of its kind. Lawsuits under the universal law have already been filed in Turkey, France, Sweden and Norway Jurisdiction has been filed, as attorney Dickson explained. In the case of torture, the immunity factor for a high-ranking official like Al-Raisi does not play a role.

Expert: Immunity “should not be an end in itself”
Ralph Janik, international law expert from Sigmund Freud University, explained the legal context and options in the case of Austria. The principle of universal jurisdiction could be applied during the international conference in Vienna. The decision lies with Austria. It is important to exert international pressure. Torture is about protecting people. Immunity should also “not be an end in itself”.

The Vienna public prosecutor’s office confirmed on Tuesday that it had received the “statement of facts”. A spokeswoman said it was now investigating “whether there is jurisdiction.” Interpol Secretary General Jürgen Stock declined to comment on the allegations before the start of the general meeting in Vienna, citing ongoing proceedings.