Help promote human rights in the Middle East and North Africa

Donate Today
Facebook-f Twitter Instagram Linkedin Youtube
Search
Close
  • English
  • العربية
  • About
    • Our Mission
    • What We Do
    • Who We Are
    • FAQs
    • Support Dawn
    • Work With Us
    • For the Media
  • Founder Jamal Khashoggi
    • Who Was Jamal Khashoggi?
    • Chronology of a Murder
    • UN Recommendations
    • International Reaction
    • In His Own Words
    • DAWN and Jamal
  • Countries
    • Saudi Arabia
    • Egypt
    • UAE
    • Israel-Palestine
    • DAWN's Culprits Gallery
  • International Actors
    • DAWN's Advocacy
    • USA
    • Aid Conditionality
    • Human Rights Go to War
    • THE LOBBYIST HALL OF SHAME​
  • Democracy In Exile
    • About
    • Submission Guidelines for Democracy in Exile
  • Experts
  • Latest
Menu
  • About
    • Our Mission
    • What We Do
    • Who We Are
    • FAQs
    • Support Dawn
    • Work With Us
    • For the Media
  • Founder Jamal Khashoggi
    • Who Was Jamal Khashoggi?
    • Chronology of a Murder
    • UN Recommendations
    • International Reaction
    • In His Own Words
    • DAWN and Jamal
  • Countries
    • Saudi Arabia
    • Egypt
    • UAE
    • Israel-Palestine
    • DAWN's Culprits Gallery
  • International Actors
    • DAWN's Advocacy
    • USA
    • Aid Conditionality
    • Human Rights Go to War
    • THE LOBBYIST HALL OF SHAME​
  • Democracy In Exile
    • About
    • Submission Guidelines for Democracy in Exile
  • Experts
  • Latest
Donate

PR Firm Endorses Ahmed Raisi for Presidency of INTERPOL Despite Torture Complaints

October 26, 2021
in Advocacy, Dawn’s Advocacy, UAE
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

DAWN joins coalition in writing letter of concern to PR firm regarding their endorsement of Ahmed Al Raisi, despite torture complaints undermining human rights standards.

We, the undersigned human rights organisations, are writing to express our concern regarding recent reports that Project Associates has been hired to promote the candidacy of Ahmed Al Raisi, the General Inspector of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Ministry of Interior, to the presidency of the International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL).

We are also aware of previous reports that a contract was signed between the National Media Council of the UAE and Project Associates in 2017.

Given the human rights record in the UAE, the continued abuses perpetrated by state security forces under Al Raisi's leadership, and the multiple allegations of torture filed against him in France and the United Kingdom, we ask you to fully consider your moral and legal responsibilities under the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights and urge you to terminate your contract and cease your representation of the UAE government and Mr. Ahmed Al Raisi.

Current litigation against Al Raisi for alleged torture

As the Inspector General of the Ministry of Interior, a position he has held since 2015, Al Raisi is responsible for overseeing the organisation and management of the security and police forces in the UAE as well as investigating any complaints against those forces.

Al Raisi is a leading figure in a security apparatus that tolerates no criticism or dissent and systematically violates human rights. At the hands of the UAE security forces, lawyers, journalists, political activists, and human rights defenders have been forcibly disappeared, tortured, arbitrarily detained, and intimidated for peacefully exercising their right to freedom of expression or simply doing their jobs.

In addition, two torture complaints under the principle of universal jurisdiction are pending in France against Al Raisi. The first was lodged in June 2021 for the torture of prominent Emirati human rights defender, Ahmed Mansoor, who is currently serving a 10-year prison sentence for his peaceful activism. The second complaint was filed in September 2021 against seven individuals, including Al Raisi, on behalf of two British victims of torture in the UAE. Civil cases have also been filed in the United Kingdom against the same individuals. If successful, these cases would require French and U.K. authorities to arrest Al Raisi should he appear on French or British territory.

EU parliament and civil society outcry

Numerous human rights organisations have previously raised concerns over the candidacy of Al Raisi, which clearly undermines INTERPOL's mission, tarnishes the organization's reputation, and contradicts its commitment to professionalism and international human rights standards.  

On 15 September 2021, the European parliament adopted a resolution that "calls on the members of Interpol's General Assembly, and in particular the EU Member States, to duly examine the allegations of human rights abuses concerning General Major Nasser Ahmed al-Raisi ahead of the election of the presidency of the organisation from 23 to 25 November," and "notes the concerns expressed by civil society regarding his candidacy and the potential impact on the reputation of the institution."

By providing consulting services to Al Raisi, Project Associates is actively supporting the efforts of the UAE to obfuscate its record of human rights abuses and is advocating for a possible outcome in which INTERPOL, an international law enforcement organization, would be led by an individual credibly accused of torture. In light of the UAE's appalling human rights record and Al Raisi's involvement in these abuses, we urge you to terminate your contract and cease your representation of Ahmed Al Raisi and the UAE government.

 We look forward to your response.

Sincerely,

 

Signatories:

 

  • ALQST for Human Rights
  • Americans for Democracy and Human Rights in Bahrain (ADHRB)
  • Association for Victims of Torture-UAE (AVT-UAE)
  • Democracy for the Arab World Now (DAWN)
  • Detained International
  • Emirates Detainees Advocacy Centre (EDAC)
  • European Center for Democracy and Human Rights (ECDHR)
  • Fair Trials
  • International Campaign for Freedom in the UAE
  • MENA Rights Group
  • Project on Middle East Democracy (POMED)

Photo: Major General Dr Ahmed Naser Al Raisi is a leading UAE law enforcement officer and the current General Inspector of the Ministry of Interior, UAE, 2018, Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Source: Wikipedia

Previous Post

New Revelations Expose Saudi Crown Prince Mohamed bin Salman's Plot to Murder King Abdullah and Former Goverment Official

Next Post

DAWN to Lantos Commission: Middle East Governments Abuse Counterterrorism Laws to Repress Civil Society

Related Posts

Photo Credit: https://www.adhrb.org/2021/07/adhrb-deeply-condemns-the-mistreatment-of-dr-al-singace-and-calls-for-his-immediate-release/
Advocacy

Bahrain Should Release Academic Dr. Al-Singace, Wrongfully Imprisoned for 12 Years

Rights Groups Urge Bahrain to Release Dr Abduljalil Al Singace, Jailed Academic on Hunger Strike

DAWN
August 17, 2022
The central prison in Mukalla was refurbished after Al Qaeda's retreat.  Terrorism suspects were previously held at a secret prison maintained by the United Arab Emirates, where some of the prisoners were tortured, according to human rights groups. (Photo by Kareem Fahim/The Washington Post via Getty Images)
Advocacy

UAE Must Stop Widespread Torture, Implement UN Recommendations

DAWN signs joint statement: The fight against torture in the United Arab Emirates requires significant changes in law and...

DAWN
August 11, 2022
CAIRO, EGYPT - FEBRUARY 9: Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi (6th L), Prime Minister of Egypt Sherif Ismail Mohamed (4th L), Egyptian Minister of Defence Sedki Sobhy (7th L) and other military and civilian officials attend a symposium titled "Counter Terrorism" and "National Will" and organized by Egyptian Armed Forces in Cairo, Egypt on February 9, 2017.  (Photo by Egyptian Presidency - Handout/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images)
Advocacy

Blinken, Sullivan: Tell Biden Not to Provide $300 Million Military Aid to Egypt

Secretary Blinken and National Security Advisor Sullivan should weigh in on internal discussions, urging the Biden administration not to...

DAWN
August 8, 2022
NEW YORK, NY - SEPTEMBER 9: Former Secretary of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Jeh Johnson testifies during a special Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental affairs hearing on "The State of Homeland Security after 9/11" at the National September 11th Memorial & Museum on September 9, 2019 in New York City. The hearing featured three former secretaries of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. (Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images)
Advocacy

Former DHS Secretary Jeh Johnson: Rescind Endorsement of NSO Group Following Rights Violations

DAWN calls on Jeh Charles Johnson to retract his public endorsement of NSO Group's Human Rights Policy.

DAWN
August 3, 2022
Next Post
Human-rights American activist and director of Human Rights Watch Middle East and North Africa, Sarah Leah Whitson, gives a press conferenceon October 21, 2010 in Tunis to present a report, entitled "The price of independence, silencing labor and student unions in Tunisia".                  AFP PHOTO / FETHI BELAID (Photo credit should read FETHI BELAID/AFP via Getty Images)

DAWN to Lantos Commission: Middle East Governments Abuse Counterterrorism Laws to Repress Civil Society

Photo Credit: https://www.adhrb.org/2021/07/adhrb-deeply-condemns-the-mistreatment-of-dr-al-singace-and-calls-for-his-immediate-release/

Bahrain Should Release Academic Dr. Al-Singace, Wrongfully Imprisoned for 12 Years

August 17, 2022

Sixty 'Glorious' Years After Independence, Can Algeria Withstand the Challenges Ahead?

August 17, 2022

'This New Cold War': Michael McFaul on Russia, the Middle East and American Interests

August 12, 2022

Categories

  • Advocacy
  • Aid Conditionality
  • Anonymous Interviews
  • Anonymous Interviews Egypt
  • Anonymous Interviews Saudi Arabia
  • Anonymous Interviews UAE
  • Cases
  • Cases Egypt
  • Cases Saudi Arabia
  • Cases UAE
  • Countries
  • Culprits
  • Culprits Egypt
  • Culprits Saudi Arabia
  • Culprits UAE
  • DAWN
  • Dawn's Advocacy
  • Democracy In Exile
  • Editor's Pick
  • Egypt
  • Feature
  • Fellows
  • Foreign Policy
  • Human Rights
  • Human Rights Go to War
  • International Actors
  • Lobbyists
  • Palestine
  • Political prisoners
  • Press Release Egypt
  • Press Release Israel-Palestine
  • Press Release Saudi Arabia
  • Press Release UAE
  • Press Releases
  • Saudi Arabia
  • UAE
  • Uncategorized
  • United Nations
  • US – Egypt
  • US – Saudi Arabia
  • US – UAE
  • USA

SUPPORT OUR MISSION

Donate Today

About Us

Democracy for the Arab World Now (DAWN) is a nonprofit organization that promotes democracy, the rule of law, and human rights for all of the peoples of the Middle East and North Africa (MENA).

Support Us

Donate Now

Newsletter

Facebook Twitter Instagram Linkedin Youtube

© DAWN All rights reserved. | Website Design by KRS Creative.

DONATE TODAY