The Man Who Disappeared

Former Interpol President 孟宏伟 (Mèng Hóngwěi) reappeared, after months of shadow detention, at a hearing in the No. 1 Intermediate People’s Court in 天津 (Tiānjīn), China on June 20, 2019 where he read a televised statement confessing of having taken more than $2 million in bribes and expressing his repentance. His wife, 格蕾絲‧孟 (Grace Mèng), and their two children, who have been granted political asylum in France last May, are still living under police protection for fear of reprisals after she accused Chinese authorities of creating a “fake case” against her husband for power-struggle reasons. Photo: 天津 (Tiānjīn) No. 1 Intermediate People’s Court.