The Gulf in Justice Podcast dives into the weaponisation of law enforcement against crypto industry entrepreneurs.
Radha Stirling talks with Simon Tadros, a tech entrepreneur who was extradited from Ukraine to Belgium, a country he had never even been to.
Simon tells a story of what can happen to savvy entrepreneurs when law enforcement gets it wrong. Interpol and extradition specialist, Radha Stirling, has represented a number of crypto entrepreneurs who have been wrongfully targeted by law enforcement and swept up in a new, worrying trend towards universal jurisdiction.
“Countries are trying to extradite entrepreneurs who have never even visited the requesting country. It’s dangerous and open to abuse. There is significant pressure on law enforcement to crackdown on crypto users and entrepreneurs and they are misusing Interpol and the extradition process to export their authority internationally.
“We can not allow a precedent to be set whereby any country can, without evidence, have someone extradited to their country, especially those who have never even been there. Imagine if Saudi or China began requesting the same?”
Simon Tadros was detained in Ukraine, extradited to Belgium to face unfair and unevidenced allegations. He was ultimately released which exemplifies how law enforcement and universal jurisdiction are a great threat to the safety of individuals, putting them at risk of egregious human rights violations.
“What Simon has been through is disgraceful. He will not be compensated for the wrongful extradition, for the damage to his reputation, business and the personal toll it has taken on him and his family.”
Stirling successfully helped British national, Christopher Emms, defend extradition from Saudi Arabia to the US and has appealed to Interpol to remove the Red Notice issued by the US in violation of Interpol’s rules.
“I hope Simon’s case acts as a warning to Western law enforcement agencies who are haphazardly extraditing targets and ruining their lives, only to realise there is no genuine case”.
