Alert Update: Slovakia - Court Decides to Suspend Extradition of Mustapha Labsi to Algeria 18 March 2008 Slovakia’s Constitutional Court decided to suspend extradition of Mustapha Labsi to Algeria on 13 March 2008. --------------------------------------------------------------- Islamic Human Rights Commission --------------------------------------------------------------- 18 March 2008 Alert Update: Slovakia - Court Decides to Suspend Extradition of Mustapha Labsi to Algeria 1. Background Slovakia’s Constitutional Court decided to suspend extradition of Mustapha Labsi to Algeria on 13 March 2008. Labsi is wanted in his homeland on allegations of torture. Labsi’s attorney, Maria Kolikava, welcomed the decision, stating that ‘The Constitutional Court has proven to be an effective tool in the protection of human rights...‘ Earlier in the year the Slovak Supreme Court had ruled to extradite Labsi to Algeria. He, however, appealed against the ruling, stating in an extensive complaint that he submitted to the court, that ‘…possible extradition poses a serious risk for him, as he may well be tortured during criminal proceedings in Algeria.‘ Labsi was suspected to be involved with Al-Qaeda and was reportedly arrested by Slovak police on 4 May 2007 on the request of the Algerian government. He was ‘tried in absentia in Algeria and sentenced to life imprisonment on charges related to terrorism’, according to reports received by Amnesty International. Thus, since his arrest he has been detained in Bratislava, awaiting the court‘s decision on his possible extradition. For more details, please read article at http://www.ihrc.org.uk/show.php?id=3249 Please also refer to our previous alert at http://www.ihrc.org.uk/show.php?id=3181 IHRC welcomes this decision of suspending the extradition of Mustapha Labsi and congratulates and thanks all supporters who campaigned on his behalf. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ IHRC is an NGO in Special Consultative Status with the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations Please help IHRC by visiting http://www.ihrc.org.uk/catalog and making a donation or buying an item from our on-line store. If you want to subscribe to the IHRC list please send an email to subscribe@ihrc.org If you want to unsubscribe from the IHRC list please send an email from your subscribed email address to unsubscribe@ihrc.org If you are reusing this alert, please cite the source. For more information, please contact the office on the numbers or email below. “And what reason have you that you should not fight in the way of Allah and of the weak among the men and the women and the children, (of) those who say: Our Lord! Cause us to go forth from this town, whose people are oppressors, and give us from Thee a guardian and give us from Thee a helper.” Holy Qur’an: Chapter 4, Verse 75 Join the Struggle for Justice. Join IHRC. Islamic Human Rights Commission PO Box 598 Wembley HA9 7XH United Kingdom Telephone (+44) 20 8904 4222 Fax (+44) 20 8904 5183 Email: info@ihrc.org Web: www.ihrc.org Recommend this article to a friend Your name: Your friend's email address: