The Appellate Court in Varna, on the Black Sea, upheld the Varna District Court's decision to refuse the extradition of a Ukrainian citizen to his home country because of a lack of guarantees that his rights would be respected, the Appellate Court said on Wednesday. The 30-year-old Igor E. is being investigated in Ukraine for participating in an armed criminal group with the purpose of assault, kidnapping, exercising physical violence against individuals and theft.
The Malinovsky District Court of Odessa ordered his detention as he had evaded prosecution and absconded. The Prosecutor General of Ukraine asked Bulgaria to have the alleged criminal extradited, after he was detained in Varna in late February.
With the introduction of martial law in Ukraine, certain rights and freedoms of citizens were temporarily restricted. On March 2, 2022, Kyiv declared to the Council of Europe that it was temporarily suspending the implementation of some of its obligations under the European Convention on Human Rights, including the right to a fair trial. With the extension of martial law by presidential decree on February 6 this year, the Council of Europe was again notified of the derogation because of emergency laws adopted, including in the area of criminal justice.
The Appellate Court annulled the Ukrainian citizen's precautionary measure to secure his appearance. The decision is final.
/BR/
