An Albanian court has refused the extradition of an Egyptian man who faces the death sentence in his home country.
Courts in Egypt sentenced Rageh to death in 2019 for a murder that took place in the city of Giza. He was then arrested in May 2021 at Nene Tereza airport as he tried to enter Albania as a tourist.
Judge Artan Gjermeni refused to comply with the extradition order as he said the Egyptian authorities did not give any assurance that he wouldn’t be executed.
Albania banned capital punishment in 2000.
This ruling comes at a time where Albania has been accused of being complicit in “extraterritorial abductions” based on secret agreements signed with Turkey. At least one individual has been returned to Turkey without compliance with due process and has since disappeared. Another is currently fighting to remain and seek asylum.
