Abu Dhabi’s mercenary Elias Al Murr sued in Geneva

A Danish citizen of Lebanese origin filed a lawsuit against Interpol against a UAE mercenary Elias Al Murr for the crime of torturing a prisoner and violating human rights.

Al Murr was a former Lebanese defence minister from 2005 to 2013 and is considered one of UAE’s mercenaries. Abu Dhabi funded him to create the Interpol Foundation for a Safer World, which impersonates the name of the international organization for allegedly supporting the INTERPOL.

The Al Murr foundation was launched from the UAE capital, Abu Dhabi, in 2017, claiming to combat global crime and terrorism as a front to whitewash the UAE’s image.

The Murr Foundation is active only as a propaganda platform for the UAE to cover up its violations of human rights and the crimes it perpetuates and increase Abu Dhabi’s influence in international institutions, including Interpol.

The Danish citizen filed the complaint to the Swiss Public Prosecutor, Olivier Gernot, against Al Murr, accusing him of numerous crimes, including “physical harm, kidnapping and abuse of power.”

The complainant was arrested in 2007 in Tripoli and was subjected to severe torture during several sessions during which the Lebanese Army Intelligence interrogated him, and then by the Military Police, where he was forced to sign confessions that he did not issue.

He left the country and was released in January 2010, according to what was revealed by the director of the Prisoner’s Rights Center at the Tripoli Bar Association, lawyer Mohamed Sablouh.

The lawyer explained that dozens of complaints against Al Murr will follow this complaint and that the centre will closely follow up this complaint with those concerned in Geneva. He hopes it will serve as a motive for officials in Lebanon to urge them to stop the crime of torture and hold its perpetrators accountable, no matter how long it takes, as this crime is imprescriptible.

He stated that the complaint, which was submitted on November 10, can prosecute and hold the UAE mercenaries responsible for the crime of torture.

Sablouh confirmed that the centre would closely follow up on this complaint and support the victims of torture and the complainants in their efforts. He said, “We want the investigation of torture against Dr Murr to be conducted independently.

“Given the continuing practice of torture and ill-treatment suffered by victims and the persistent practice of impunity for the perpetrators of such practices motivates us to encourage all victims to resort to courts to obtain justice the end eventually.”