The wife of the ex-Chinese president of Interpol Meng Hongwei, sentenced in 2020 for corruption in China after suddenly disappearing from his post in Lyon, called on the organization to "
make sure he is still alive
”On the eve of its 89th general assembly scheduled for Monday, November 22 in Istanbul.
Read alsoThe former Chinese president of Interpol prosecuted for corruption
"
I respectfully request the General Assembly (...) to instruct the General Secretariat to inform me about the measures taken (...) to ensure that Meng Hongwei is alive,
" she wrote in a letter. addressed to the international police cooperation organization based in Lyon. "
More than three years have passed since the disappearance of Meng Hongwei and I have not received any information on my husband,
" continues Grace Meng in her letter, which AFP received a copy.
Contacted by AFP, Interpol confirmed having received "
a request from Grace Meng asking to intervene with China
".
Its "
claims against Interpol are misdirected
" even if "
its situation is regrettable from a human rights point of view
," said a spokesperson for the organization.
Indeed, "
the general secretariat of Interpol cannot interfere with national judicial procedures, this would undermine the principles of neutrality and independence of the organization
", according to him.
Suspicion of corruption
Chinese justice sentenced this former vice-minister of public security to about 13 years in prison for having received 14.46 million yuan (1.86 million euros) in bribes between 2005 and 2017 in "
taking advantage of its functions and powers
”. During his trial in 2020, he "
admitted his guilt and showed repentance
", according to the People's Court which tried him. Chinese television then broadcast images of him framed by two police officers.
Appointed president of Interpol in November 2016, the Chinese had suddenly disappeared from the Lyon headquarters of the police organization two years later, in September 2018. After ten days, Beijing announced that he had returned to China where he was detained on suspicion of corruption. Few details have been disclosed about the case, which was part of the anti-corruption campaign launched by Chinese President Xi Jinping after coming to power.
"
His arrest and conviction are not linked to Interpol or his post as president of Interpol,
" according to the spokesperson contacted by AFP.
The position of president of Interpol "
does not protect from criminal investigations or prosecution for activities carried out within its national capacities in its own country
", according to the same source.
Interpol's general assembly is scheduled for November 23-25 in Istanbul.
Grace Meng and her two children were granted political asylum in France in May 2019.
