Mohamed Ali Ahmed Elmushraty, better known as Lilu King, would likely be tortured or even killed if he were to be extradited to Libya, his lawyers said on Tuesday.
The man is currently facing criminal proceedings after he was charged with money laundering, tax evasion and participation in an organised crime group, last month.
On Monday, an inspector from the Police’s Interpol section told a court that Elmushraty is wanted in Libya in connection to serious crimes including murder and drug trafficking charges. It also emerged that Libya is planning to seek his extradition to face charges there.
In a note filed by defence lawyers Franco Debono, Marion Camilleri and Francesca Zarb, the lawyers highlighted that the accused had been granted refugee status in Malta due to “persecution” in Libya.
The defence highlighted that Libya is an unstable country that has been in a civil war since 2011.
They pointed out that the documents from Interpol had to be seen within the context of Elmushraty’s refugee status and the European Convention on Human Rights which guaranteed protection against torture and inhuman or degrading treatment.
Malta has signed and ratified the Convention, and therefore it forms part of Maltese law.
“If extradition were to go through, not only would Elmushraty not be guaranteed a fair trial but there existed a ‘real possibility’ that he would tortured or even killed,” the lawyers said in their note.
Source: News Book
