Our firm successfully represented a client before the District Court of Limassol (April 2026) in a case concerning an extradition request submitted by foreign authorities. The Court rejected the request, finding that, in the circumstances, there was a real risk of a violation of fundamental rights, particularly in relation to detention conditions in the requesting country.
The decision is based, among other things, on Article 3 of the European Convention on Human Rights, which sets out the absolute prohibition of torture and inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment and serves as an important safeguard in extradition proceedings.
In this context, the Court assessed not only the formal requirements of the extradition request, but also practical factors, such as the functioning of the prison system in the requesting country, overcrowding, hygiene conditions, access to medical care, and the general treatment of detainees.
At the same time, any diplomatic assurances offered were examined in terms of their reliability and practical effectiveness and were not considered sufficient per se.
The decision highlights the importance of protecting fundamental rights in the context of international criminal cooperation, confirming that justice cannot be achieved at the expense of human dignity and fundamental rights.
The case was handled on behalf of our firm by Natasa Mala and Mary Loizidou.