The Supreme Court of the Republic of Cyprus has ordered the release of five individuals, including two Greek Cypriot siblings, who are sought by American law enforcement in relation to an inquiry into investment deception.
In May and October of 2021 and 2022, respectively, five individuals were detained in Cyprus. Recently, two of the brothers among them were released from custody, when a Supreme Court judge overthrew a decision for their confinement, as they were slated to be extradited to the US.
Five people arrested in Cyprus and detained for 20 months in connection with an internet financial fraud and an extradition request by US authorities were released Monday from prison following an unprecedented decision by the Supreme Court.
No evidence was presented in court connecting the plaintiffs to email accounts that could indicate any wrongdoing on their part. Not a single word about such a thing was uttered.
US prosecutors have claimed that, based on an official accusation, the accused were part of a complex international fraud conspiracy to steal millions of dollars from investors who spoke English from various countries and then launder the illegal gains and give them to the participants.
However, the Cypriot Supreme Court decided in favor of the defense of the suspects, claiming that not enough details had been provided from the States to back up the suspicions.
The judge stipulated that any extradition request must include actual, written testimony from witnesses in order to be valid.
The appeals judge further argued that ascribing the plaintiffs to the case was not enough to prove that the email accounts mentioned in the facts were theirs or that they received the funds from the bank accounts mentioned.
The judge declared that no proof was offered that would have confirmed that the plaintiffs were associated with the email accounts and that there may have been reasonable grounds to believe that a crime was perpetrated by them.
Ten individuals are being charged in connection to the case that crossed international boundaries, including Spain, Romania and Cambodia in addition to Cyprus.
The name of billionaire businessman George Soros had also been implicated in the case.
Federal prosecutors in the United States contend that the fraudulent activities involved perpetrators posing as people from legitimate financial organizations when they would call unsuspecting people, which included American investors.
In conclusion, the EU courts play a crucial role in protecting EU citizens from US supremacy when it comes to internet/non-violent crimes.
These courts have the power to ensure that EU citizens are not subjected to unfair or unjust treatment by the US legal system. They also have the authority to review and evaluate evidence provided in support of extradition, ensuring that it meets the standards of admissibility under EU-US extradition treaty. As the use of the internet continues to expand and cross-border crimes become more common, the role of EU courts in protecting EU citizens from US inhumane prison conditions will become increasingly important. It is vital that we continue to support and strengthen these institutions in order to ensure that EU citizens receive fair and just treatment in the face of US prosecutors.
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