Wife of missing ex-Interpol chief hires lawyers to find him

The wife of Meng Hongwei, the ex-Interpol chief who went missing a month ago, has hired two law firms to find her husband.

“Since my husband disappeared, people from all over the world have asked what they can do to help,” Grace Meng told Reuters in a statement, confirming that she had retained Marsigny Avocats and Lindeborg Counsellors to help find her husband, who went missing while visiting his native China.

“Above all, I urge everyone to raise their voice in asking China to respect our family’s fundamental human rights,” she said. “His disappearance could not be for anything other than political reasons.”

{mosads}In early October, Meng Hongwei went missing when he traveled back to China, where he also served as vice minister of the Ministry of Public Security.

The Chinese government confirmed at the time that it was holding Meng on “suspicion of violating the law.”

The state said that Meng was “under the supervision” of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, an anti-corruption watchdog tied to the Chinese Communist Party.

Reuters reports that China is investigating Meng for bribery and other violations.

Interpol said that Meng submitted his resignation, the same day that China announced it was detaining him. 

French authorities told Reuters that his wife and children are under police protection in Lyon, after threats.

In an emotional interview with BBC last week, Meng’s wife said she is “not sure he is alive.”

She has not heard from her husband since he told her over WhatsApp on Sept. 25 to “wait for my call.”