British student faces rubber-stamping extradition despite human rights risks (29.4.2007)

April 29 2007

Justice campaigners say serious flaws in Britain’s extradition laws mean a young British man is likely to be sent to Spain to face up to 8 years in prison for unwittingly going on holiday with fake Euros.

Joseph Mendy, a 22 year old student from Camden in north London, is due to attend the City of Westminster Magistrates Court on Monday 30th April to learn whether he will be able to take up a place at university later this year to study criminology and psychology, or whether he will be languishing in a Spanish prison.

Fair Trials Abroad (FTA) lawyer Saima Hirji says if extradited, Joseph will almost certainly receive a lengthy prison sentence.

“This case demonstrates how the European Arrest Warrant in Britain is a mere vehicle to transfer those wanted by other member states with no safeguards of human rights.”

“Joseph was on holiday with 2 friends 4 years ago when they were arrested for being in possession of 200 Euros in fake notes. He informed the police that he had exchanged currency at a Thomas Cook in London and had also received money from his parents via money gram. The boys were arrested, bailed and returned to England and Joseph heard nothing further until police knocked on his door in March 2007.”

“Spain has been known to impose disproportionately lengthy sentences for this offence; FTA has 2 other clients serving 8 year sentences for the same offence involving similar amounts of money.”

“Courts in other member states such as the Netherlands have discretion to refuse extradition. However Britain is severely constrained by the Extradition Act 2003, which gives very limited grounds for refusal”

“It is a sad fact that standards of justice vary across the EU and the Extradition Act 2003 fails to address this. Extradition is a rubber-stamping process that fails to protect Britons against potential human rights abuses” concluded Miss Hirji.