Interpol can’t investigate Chinese president’s disappearance, because its own rules don’t allow it, boss says
- ‘There was no reason for me to [suspect] anything was forced or wrong’ about Meng Hongwei’s resignation letter, secretary general Juergen Stock says
- ‘Rules-based’ organisation must ‘mitigate negative impact’ of Chinese official’s disappearance
The operational head of Interpol said on Thursday he is forbidden by the global police organisation’s own rules from investigating what happened to the Chinese government official who served as Interpol president for almost two years before vanishing in September on a trip to his homeland.
In his first public remarks about the disappearance of Meng Hongwei, secretary general Juergen Stock said he had “encouraged” Beijing to provide information about Meng’s location and legal status but could do no more.
Stock was speaking to journalists as Interpol members prepared to elect a new president to replace Meng at a general assembly in Dubai on November 18-21. Meng became the organisation’s president in November 2016.
Chinese authorities said they detained Meng, 64, on bribery charges, though his wife has described him as a victim of political persecution. He was one of China’s vice-ministers for public security and appears to be the latest high-ranking official to have been caught in a sweeping purge under Chinese President Xi Jinping.
Stock said his organisation learned of Meng’s disappearance on October 5 via media reports that came out after Meng’s wife said she had not heard from him since the end of September and reported him missing.
Interpol contacted Beijing, asking for clarification, according to Stock. A high-level Chinese delegation arrived at Interpol’s headquarters in Lyon on October 7, reported that Meng had written a resignation letter and advised that he was no longer a delegate from China to Interpol – meaning he could no longer serve as president.
