A court in Lublin rules on the inadmissibility of extradition in line with the HFHR’s opinion

The Circuit Court in Lublin has ruled on the inadmissibility of surrendering the wanted A.K, a Belarus citizen, to the judicial authorities in Belarus. The ruling has already become final and binding.

In its decision the Court referred to, among other things, information provided by the Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights. It also relied on the testimonies of lawyers with the Legal Assistance for Refugees and Migrants Programme, who were summoned by the court to appear as witnesses. The Foundation’s information and testimonies concerned the observance of human rights and freedoms in Belarus.

The Court ruled on the inadmissibility of extradition under Article 604 § 1 (5) (7) of the Code of Criminal Procedure, relying on the information included in the letter drafted by the Foundation and testimonies regarding, among other things, violations of the standards of a fair trial in Belarus and the lack of independent judicial bodies and harsh conditions in prison facilities in that country.

The A.K. case is one of the oldest extradition cases in which the HFHR ‘s staff were involved. The first hearing, attended by Foundation’s lawyers, was held in 2007.