Extradition Defence Lawyers

Extradition is the legal process by which one country formally requests another to surrender a person accused or convicted of a criminal offence. Facing such proceedings is one of the most serious legal situations an individual can encounter — the outcome determines whether you remain in your current country or are transferred to face prosecution or imprisonment abroad.

Intercollegium provides specialist international defence worldwide. Our lawyers have defended clients against surrender requests from the United States, United Kingdom, Russia, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Spain, Germany, France, Turkey, the UAE, and dozens of other countries. We combine deep knowledge of applicable international law with practical courtroom experience in multiple jurisdictions.

International law and most bilateral treaties recognise several grounds on which surrender can be refused. Our legal team identifies and argues the most compelling grounds in each case:

• Political offence exception — surrender cannot be granted for crimes of a political nature
• Dual criminality — the conduct must constitute a crime in both the requesting and requested state
• Human rights — surrender is barred where the individual faces a real risk of torture, inhuman treatment, or an unfair trial
• Double jeopardy (ne bis in idem) — you cannot be surrendered for conduct for which you have already been tried
• Statute of limitations — the offence must not be time-barred in the requesting country
• Nationality exception — many civil law countries do not transfer their own nationals
• Death penalty — surrender is refused in most countries if the requesting state may impose capital punishment
• Specialty rule — you can only be prosecuted for the offence for which the surrender was granted

These proceedings are frequently initiated alongside or following the issuance of an Interpol Red Notice. Many countries provisionally arrest individuals based on Red Notices before formal proceedings begin. Our team coordinates both streams simultaneously — challenging the Red Notice through the CCF process while defending the case in domestic courts.

In some cases, it is possible to prevent a Red Notice from being issued in the first place through a Preventive Request to Interpol. This proactive approach can be far more effective than reacting to an existing notice.

We provide comprehensive defence across all stages of proceedings:

• Emergency legal advice upon arrest under an international warrant
• Bail and pre-trial detention challenges
• Full hearing representation
• Appeals to higher courts and supreme courts
• European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) applications where applicable
• Country-specific defence (EAW, bilateral treaty, aut dedere aut judicare)
• Coordination with lawyers in the requesting state

We also provide advice on safe countries for clients who need to travel internationally while proceedings are pending. Contact us immediately at +357 96 447475 if you or a family member faces potential surrender.

Each case is governed by the specific bilateral or multilateral treaty between the two countries involved, as well as the domestic law of the requested state. We have particular expertise in:

• Extradition from Spain to the UK
• Extradition from Germany to the UK
• Extradition from Turkey to the UK
• Extradition from France to the UK
• Extradition from the US to the UK
• Extradition from China to the UK
• Extradition from Thailand to the UK

We also advise on cases involving surrender to and from the UAE, Cyprus, Israel, Ukraine, and other jurisdictions not listed above.

You may also want to check the Interpol wanted list to understand whether you are currently flagged in the Interpol system.

Our international criminal law team also handles related matters including Interpol Red Notice removal, preventive request, and OFAC sanctions lawyers. Contact us at +357 96 447475 for a confidential consultation with our experienced legal specialists.

Legal frameworks vary significantly by country. Our lawyers have direct experience defending clients in the following high-demand jurisdictions:

• UAE — the country has bilateral agreements with Russia, the UK, and others. We challenge requests on human rights grounds and Interpol-related abuses.
• Turkey — Turkey has been misused for politically motivated transfers, particularly targeting Russian and Central Asian nationals. Strong grounds for refusal exist under ECHR Article 3 and Article 6.
• Germany — Germany applies strict dual criminality and human rights tests. We represent clients before German courts and the Federal Ministry of Justice.
• UK — the UK surrender regime is highly developed. Part 1 (EU/EAW) and Part 2 (rest of world) cases require specialist counsel. See our dedicated pages: Spain to UK, Germany to UK, Turkey to UK.
• Spain — Spain applies Schengen and EU Arrest Warrant rules. We have successfully challenged transfers from Spain on political offence and human rights grounds.

Interpol Red Notices and surrender requests are closely linked — a Red Notice is often the first step in triggering a formal transfer. Understanding how they interact is critical for mounting an effective defence.

An Interpol Red Notice alerts border police worldwide to the wanted person. When the person is located and detained, the formal process begins. Challenging the Red Notice via the CCF can therefore delay or derail proceedings entirely — since if the notice is removed, the legal basis for the case often collapses.

Our dual strategy — challenging both the Interpol notice and the formal surrender request — gives clients the strongest possible position. We coordinate our Red Notice removal and defence teams to ensure a consistent and complementary legal strategy.

Extradition cases require urgent action. If you or a family member has been detained pending transfer, or if you believe a surrender request is imminent, contact Intercollegium immediately for a free consultation.

Call +357 96 447475 or use our online contact form. We respond to urgent matters around the clock.

Related services: Red Notice Removal | Preventive Request | OFAC Sanctions | Sanctions

Legal frameworks vary significantly across jurisdictions. Understanding the specific rules in the country where you are located is essential to building an effective defence. Intercollegium’s lawyers have deep experience across the key jurisdictions where our clients reside.

UAE: The UAE has bilateral agreements covering surrender with over 40 countries and is an active participant in the Interpol system. Surrender requests are processed by the Ministry of Justice, and the courts apply both treaty provisions and local procedural rules. UAE cases often coincide with asset freezing and financial investigations. Our team provides defence in UAE courts and can seek interim relief from arrest pending appeal. Contact us for a consultation.

Turkey: Turkey is party to the European Convention on Extradition as well as bilateral agreements. Turkish courts have wide discretion in assessing political offence exceptions and human rights grounds. Post-2016 mass prosecutions have created a complex environment for Turkish nationals abroad and for foreign nationals subject to Turkish warrants. We represent clients in both Turkish proceedings and in foreign courts resisting Turkish surrender requests.

Spain: Spain operates under EU law for EAWs and the applicable European Convention for non-EU requests. Spanish courts are known for robust scrutiny of surrender requests, particularly those from Russia and non-democratic states. Our Spanish-speaking lawyers work directly with local counsel to mount effective defences in Spanish Audiencia Nacional proceedings.

Germany: Germany’s applicable law is governed by the IRG (Act on International Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters). German courts apply a rigorous proportionality test and are sensitive to human rights concerns. Germany has refused surrender requests from Russia and Turkey in numerous high-profile cases. We coordinate with German counsel to challenge requests at the OLG (Higher Regional Court) level.

Every surrender request can be challenged. Our lawyers identify and argue the strongest available grounds based on the specific facts of your case and the applicable legal framework.

Political offence exception: Most bilateral agreements exclude offences of a political character. Courts in democratic states have increasingly applied this exception to cases from Russia, Belarus, Turkey and other states where the prosecution appears to be motivated by political, commercial or personal rivalry rather than genuine criminal justice.

Human rights and fair trial concerns: Where there is a real risk of torture, inhuman treatment, or unfair trial in the requesting state, surrender can be blocked. This is particularly powerful in cases involving Russia, where the ECHR has issued hundreds of judgments finding violations of Articles 3, 5, and 6.

Double jeopardy (ne bis in idem): If a client has already been tried or is currently being prosecuted for the same conduct in another jurisdiction, surrender can be refused on ne bis in idem grounds.

Statute of limitations: If the alleged offences are time-barred under the law of either the requesting or requested state, surrender must be refused.

Dual criminality: Outside the EAW framework, most bilateral agreements require that the alleged conduct be criminal in both states. We carefully analyse whether this requirement is met.

Disproportionality: Where the request concerns minor offences or where the passage of time has made surrender disproportionate, courts can exercise discretion to refuse it.

Contact Intercollegium’s defence team for a free assessment. The sooner you seek legal advice, the greater your options.