Exclusive: UAE police chief accused of presiding over torture of British

academic running to be head of Interpol

A United Arab Emirates security chief accused of presiding over the "torture” a British academic is
running to become the new head of Interpol, leaked documents reveal.

Major General Nasser Ahmed Al-Raisi has been accused of serious human rights violations in the Middle
East, including against British citizens, and Interpol has been warned it could lose credibility if he is
elected President. Campaign material seen by the Telegraph shows the smiling Major General and his
long list of professional achievements, honorary titles and academic qualifications, including a diploma
in “Police Management” from Cambridge.

But a British postgraduate who claims he was fed a cocktail of drugs during his imprisonment in Dubai
on spying charges, and a football fan who claims he was beaten up, stabbed and electrocuted, accused
him of being responsible for torture and say he should never become president. Matthew Hedges, a
Durham University PHD student (pictured below), was held for almost six months in solitary
confinement after being arrested at Dubai airport in May 2018 on suspicion of spying for MI6.

He claims he had his calls monitored, was made to sign a false confession, and was given a combination
of high strength drugs to combat his panic attacks and depression - from which he is still recovering.

Mr Hedges was sentenced to life in prison after a five-minute hearing, despite British authorities publicly
denying he was an agent, but was handed a presidential pardon later on in the year after international
pressure.
As Inspector General in the Ministry of the Interior, Major General Al-Raisi is in charge of organising and
managing the security and police forces in the UAE, and “was ultimately responsible for my torture and
detention” according to Mr Hedges.

His fear of the Major General landing one of the most important roles in global security is echoed by Ali
Ahmad, a British football fan who was imprisoned for wearing a Qatar shirt to a match.

Mr Ahmad claims he was stabbed with a pocket knife in his chest and arms, struck in the mouth causing
him to lose a front tooth, suffocated with a plastic bag and had his clothing set on fire by arresting
officers.

A medical report was allegedly falsified, he says, to say that the injuries he sustained were self inflicted.

Mr Ahmad spent more than two weeks in prison and says he was electrocuted, denied food and drink,
made to sign a confession, and not allowed access to a lawyer.

"I cannot believe that I need to ask an International police group like Interpol not to elect the person
[ultimately] responsible for my torture to become their President,” Mr Ahmad told the Telegraph.

“What I suffered in the UAE was very traumatising and it will scar me for life.” Mr Hedges added: "The
next President of Interpol should know all about the principle of command responsibility and respect the
rule of law. “It is therefore extremely concerning that the man who was ultimately responsible for my
torture and detention is to even be considered for the position of Interpol President.