Ben Keith features in The Times of India, published 6 September 2023. Click here to view the article on The Times of India Website.
Germany has refused to extradite an Albanian alleged drug trafficker to the UK owing to the state of British Prisons.
The higher regional court of Karlsruhe, Southwest Germany, blocked the extradition of of the man, accused of trafficking 5kg of cocaine and laundering £330,000, stating the request was "inadmissible" owing to fears he would receive inhumane or degrading treatment in British jail. The decision is ironic as UK extradition barristers frequently slam Indian prisons, claiming overcrowding and prisoner violence to persuade UK judges not to extradite requested persons from the UK to India.
"Many UK prisons are over 100 years old and severely overcrowded. The lack of funding an investment has led to this judgment. Indian extradition cases in the UK routinely require assurances on Indian prison conditions. The fact the UK cannot provide one is problematic and this judgment shows that the UK has failed on human rights grounds"
Ben Keith
The article is available to read in full on the Times of India website. Click here to continue reading.
Ben Keith is a leading barrister specialising in cross-border and international cases. He deals with all aspects of Extradition, Human Rights, Mutual Legal Assistance, Interpol, Financial crime and International Law including sanctions. He represents governments, political and military leaders, High Net Worth individuals, human rights defenders and business leaders in the most sensitive cases.
He has extensive experience of appellate proceedings before the Administrative and Divisional Courts, Civil and Criminal Divisions of the Court of Appeal as well as applications and appeals to the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) and United Nations. Ben is recognised in Chambers and Partners and The Legal 500.
