[ad_1]
Breaking News Emails
Receive last minute alerts and special reports. News and stories that matter, delivered the mornings of the week.
PARIS – The international police agency Interpol has asked Chinese authorities for information about its president, Meng Hongwei, who reportedly disappeared during a trip to China.
The Lyon-based agency said Saturday in a brief statement that she "looked forward to an official response from the Chinese authorities to address concerns about the welfare of the president."
Interpol said it used detection and suppression channels to submit its request for information on Meng's status.
Meng's wife said she had not heard from her since leaving Lyon in late September. France has launched its own investigation. The French authorities claim that he flew in and arrived in China, but we do not know where he is later.
Meng is not only the head of Interpol, he is also Deputy Minister of Public Security in China.
That China takes action is not clear. The South China Morning Post, a Hong Kong newspaper, hinted that Meng could have been the latest target of an ongoing campaign against corruption in China.
The newspaper said that when he arrived last week, Meng had been "taken away" for questioning by what he had described as "disciplinary authorities."
The term generally describes investigators of the ruling Communist Party who investigate corruption and political disloyalty. The Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, the party's internal secret inquiry agency, has not announced any announcement on its website about Meng and n & n Could be contacted for comment.
Meng is the first president of his country to hold the position of President of Interpol. This post is largely symbolic, but with a powerful status and not without political weight. But since the Secretary General of Interpol is responsible for the day-to-day management of the police agency's operations, the absence of Meng may have little operational effect.
Far from being a Hollywood-style agency with agents carrying weapons around the world, Interpol is discreet and discreet about his business, unless he wants to talk.
The organization associates police officers from its 192 member states, who can use Interpol to disseminate their research in search of a fugitive or missing person. It is only on the order of a country that the information is made public via a "red notice", which is the closest to an international arrest warrant. .
However, Interpol does not balance its noble mission to facilitate international police cooperation and the policies of some of its member countries.
The appointment of Meng to the presidency in 2016, in the midst of the massive anti-corruption campaign of Chinese leader Xi Jinping, has alarmed some human rights organizations, fearing that China will encourage the China to take away from dissidents and refugees abroad.
Meng has a brilliant resume, having held various positions within Chinese security, including as Deputy Minister of Public Security – the National Police – since 2004. In the meantime, he has held the positions of Chief and Deputy Chief of Coast Guard Branches. , while holding positions at Interpol. His tenure in Lyon lasts until 2020.
His duties in China would have placed him close to former leaders, some of whom had been victims of Xi's campaign. He has probably dealt a lot with former security chief Zhou Yongkang, who is currently serving a life sentence for corruption.
Xi has focused on bringing back officials and businessmen accused of fraud and corruption, making Meng's position even more sensitive.
China, in the middle of a week-long vacation, has made no comment on the disappearance of Meng.
