UAE approves extradition of drug trafficker Mehdi Charafa to France

Gulf Today, Staff Reporter

  The UAE Federal Supreme Court has acceded to the request of the competent authorities of the French Republic for the extradition of the accused, Mehdi Charafa, a French national, on charges of drug trafficking and money laundering.

The decision was made subsequent to the accused having exhausted all available litigation procedures, and in accordance with the extradition agreement signed between the UAE and the French Republic on 2 May 2007.The Abu Dhabi Federal Court of Appeal issued a decision approving the extradition of the accused, who subsequently appealed the judgment before the Federal Supreme Court.

The latter issued its decision in a session held on January 14, 2025, rejecting the appeal and approving the extradition of the accused.These measures are indicative of the UAE's commitment to collaborating closely with international partners in the fight against transnational crime.

The extradition agreement with the French Republic is one of more than 45 such agreements that the UAE has ratified in recent years with a number of countries.

The UAE is poised to enter into additional accords in this particular context, as part of its commitment to bolster collaboration within the legal and judicial domains by adhering to the most effective practices that have been implemented in this sector and by intensifying its endeavours to address transnational criminal activities.