China expels former Interpol leader, disgraced, from an advisory body

State media reported that China would expel former Interpol leader, Meng Hongwei, from a prominent advisory body to parliament, according to media reports, after the Chinese government indicted him for bribery and other violations.

Under President Xi Jinping, China has embarked on a massive crackdown on official corruption.

Earlier this month, Interpol, the global police-coordinating body based in France, said Meng had resigned from his presidential post, after the French authorities had declared that the Chinese official would have been worn disappeared by his wife after his trip to his country of origin.

It is unclear exactly where Meng is being held and it was not possible to contact him for comment. It is also not known whether he was allowed to retain legal representation.

In the Chinese government's latest move against Meng, the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, which advises parliament not to have legislative powers, has decided to remove him from office, state media said Friday.

The decision still needs to be officially approved by the body's standing committee, said the Xinhua official news agency, although this is only a formality.

Meng had been a member of the foreign affairs committee of the organization.

The members of the advisory body do not enjoy immunity from prosecution, unlike the members of the Chinese parliament, which is largely in the majority.

Meng, a 64-year-old deputy public security minister, became president of the global police cooperation agency in late 2016, as part of China's broader efforts to secure senior leadership positions in China. international organizations.

His appointment at that time made him fear that human rights groups would seek to take advantage of his position to pursue dissidents abroad.

(Report by Ben Blanchard, edited by Michael Perry)