Extradition Defence Lawyers

Facing international extradition? Our specialist extradition lawyers provide expert defence against extradition requests from any country. As your dedicated extradition lawyer, we challenge extradition warrants, protect your fundamental rights, and buy you critical time to build your case.

Get Free Consultation

Types of International Extradition Proceedings

Extradition is the formal legal process by which one country requests the surrender of a person located in another country to face criminal charges or serve a sentence. The process varies significantly depending on the countries involved, the treaties in force, and whether Interpol instruments are being used to locate the individual.

Extradition Type	Mechanism	Typical Timeline	Our Role
Treaty-based extradition	Bilateral extradition treaty + diplomatic request	6–24 months	Full legal defence in requested state
Interpol-facilitated	Red Notice → provisional arrest → formal request	3–18 months	Challenge Red Notice at CCF + local defence
EU Arrest Warrant	Mutual recognition within EU member states	2–6 months	Oppose surrender on proportionality/rights grounds
Informal surrender	No treaty — state-to-state agreement	Variable	Injunctive relief + human rights challenge

Our extradition defence lawyers have handled proceedings in the UAE, Turkey, UK, Germany, Spain, Cyprus, Israel, and across the former Soviet Union. We work simultaneously in both the requesting and requested state where necessary, ensuring full procedural protection at every stage.

Key Legal Defences Against Extradition

Extradition is not automatic. Every extradition request must satisfy a set of legal requirements, and failure to meet any one of them is grounds for refusal. Our extradition lawyers identify and pursue the most powerful defences available:

Dual criminality: The alleged conduct must constitute a criminal offence in both the requesting and requested state. Many business disputes and economic offences fail this test when subjected to careful legal analysis.
Political motivation: International human rights law and most extradition treaties prohibit surrender where there is a substantial risk that the prosecution is politically motivated. This defence is particularly relevant for cases originating from Russia, Ukraine, and certain Central Asian states.
Risk of torture or inhuman treatment: Under Article 3 ECHR and equivalent international instruments, extradition must be refused if there is a real risk that the requested person would face torture, inhumane prison conditions, or denial of fair trial in the requesting state.
Statute of limitations: If the applicable limitation period under either the requesting or requested state’s law has expired, extradition cannot lawfully proceed.
Ne bis in idem (double jeopardy): If you have already been tried and acquitted or convicted for the same conduct in any jurisdiction, extradition for the same offence may be barred.
Forum bar / forum conveniens: In some jurisdictions, courts have discretion to refuse extradition where it would be more appropriate for the case to be tried locally.

High-Risk Extradition Jurisdictions and Our Coverage

Our clients typically face extradition requests from a small number of high-risk requesting states, and require protection in the countries where they currently live or travel. Based on our 2025–2026 caseload, the most active patterns are:

Russia → UAE: One of the most frequent patterns we handle. The UAE has extradition cooperation with Russia and uses Interpol Red Notices extensively. We provide urgent defence including travel restriction advice, CCF challenges, and UAE local counsel coordination. 27 leads in 2025–2026 alone.
Ukraine → Europe: Ukrainian-issued extradition requests have increased significantly since 2022. UK, Germany, and Poland are the most common requested states. We challenge these on political motivation and proportionality grounds.
Turkey → EU states: Turkey’s extradition requests frequently target dissidents and individuals linked to business disputes with political connections. We have successfully opposed Turkey-origin extraditions in Germany, Spain, and the UK.
USA → UK / Europe: US extradition requests are subject to their own treaty regime and require specialist knowledge of both US criminal procedure and the requested state’s surrender laws.

If you are at risk of extradition — whether or not an Interpol notice has been issued — contact our extradition lawyers immediately. Early intervention dramatically increases the prospects of a successful defence. Free consultation: +357 96 447475.

Our Practice Areas