Rights groups express concern over appointment of Chinese security official as INTERPOL head

By Lobsang Tenchoe

DHARAMSALA, Nov 11: The appointment of a Chinese Security Czar at the helm of the leading international crime fighting and police cooperation organization INTERPOL has aroused concern from rights groups.

Meng Hongwei, China’s Vice Minister for public security has been appointed as the new head of the Interpol, The Guardian reported Nov 10.

The move drew criticism from rights groups as China has a longstanding practice of trying to use Interpol to arrest dissidents and refugees abroad.

Image: AP
Image: AP

“Police in China has a dual mandate; law enforcement like any police and protecting CCP power. Unsurprisingly Meng also has CCP position,” Amnesty International’s Regional Director for East Asia, Nicholas Bequelin tweeted.

China has a longstanding practice of trying to use Interpol to arrest dissidents and refugees abroad, the report quoted Bequelin as saying.

Meng became the first Chinese Interpol president after taking charge on Thursday at the organization’s general assembly in Bali, Indonesia.

Meng Hongwei, who has been serving as China’s vice minister for public security since 2004, will serve as the president of the INTERPOL for four years.