The Supreme Court of Montenegro sends the extradition case of Do Kwon to the lower court
The Supreme Court of Montenegro overturned the decision of the country's lower courts regarding the extradition of Terraform Labs co-founder Do Kwon to both the US and South Korea.
In an April 5 announcement, Montenegro's Supreme Court said it had approved a request for legal protection against a lower court ruling allowing Kwon's extradition to South Korea. The prosecutor who made the request argued that the Court of Appeal violated the procedure for rejecting the appeal of Kwon's legal team by reserving the final decision to the Supreme Court.
“In a situation where requests for extradition of a person from two jurisdictions are in competition, as seen in the lower courts, a request for extradition of a person is not a conflict, but the duty of the court is to decide.” According to the authority given, in relation to each petition, whether the legal conditions for extradition of the accused have been met, then the competent minister, not the court, will decide the prior authorization and order of extradition,” said the verdict. .
The Supreme Court said the decision to extradite Kwon would go back to the Podgorica High Court, which could decide whether the Terraform founder should be extradited to the United States or his native South Korea. He faces criminal charges in both countries, but has been in Montenegro since his arrest in the country in March 2023 for using false travel documents. Kwon is reportedly free to travel in Montenegro until the courts decide on his extradition.
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In Kwon's absence, attorneys representing the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission filed a lawsuit against Terraform and its co-founder in March. Some of Coon's earlier statements were read into court records. The case is ongoing at the time of publication.
During Kwon's stay in Montenegro, Terraform Labs' former chief financial officer Han Chang-jun – also due in March 2023 – was transferred to South Korea. South Korean authorities have indicted several individuals associated with Terraform Labs, including co-founder Hyun-Seong Shin.
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