Ukraine Asking Spain To Extradite Sharii

Ukraine is asking Spain to extradite blogger Anatolii Sharii, who is suspected of high treason.

This is stated in the response of the Prosecutor General's Office to the request of Ukrainian News Agency.

According to the authority, the pre-trial investigation into criminal proceedings on suspicion of Sharii in committing criminal offenses under Part 1 of Article 111, Part 1 of Article 161 of the Criminal Code is carried out by SSU investigators.

The Solomianskyi District Court of Kyiv, by a ruling dated March 12, chose Sharii a measure of restraint in absentia in the form of detention.

After the Prosecutor General's Office received a report from the Department of International Police Cooperation of the National Police about the detention of Sharii in Spain on May 4 and with a view to his further extradition to Ukraine for criminal prosecution, the prosecutor of the Prosecutor General's Office sent relevant petitions and materials on May 12.

Subsequently, the Prosecutor General's Office sent a request to the Ministry of Justice of the Kingdom of Spain on May 18 to extradite Sharii in order to bring him to criminal responsibility in Ukraine.

The request was sent in accordance with the requirements of the European Convention on the Extradition of Offenders of 1957, which does not define a specific period during which the requested party must consider the request for the extradition of a person.

In such circumstances, a decision on this request will be made within the time limits provided for by the national law of the requested party.

As Ukrainian News Agency reported, the extradition of blogger Anatolii Sharii from Spain may take up to one year.

In Ukraine Sharii faces from 12 to 15 years in prison.

Sharii was released in Spain on recognizance.