Rights group urges Cyprus not to extradite Palestinian to Israel

A Palestinian national arrested in Indonesia on an Interpol notice issued through Cyprus has been transferred to the Republic, prompting a rights organisation to urge the government not to extradite him to Israel without a full judicial review. The Geneva Council for Rights and Liberties, a non-governmental organisation, said on Monday that Abdul Karim Raed Miqdad was arrested in Indonesia on Thursday and deported to Cyprus the following morning, despite an arrest warrant allowing for detention of up to two weeks. According to the NGO, the Interpol red notice was issued through the Interpol National Central Bureau in Nicosia. Indonesian authorities cited the risk of flight, possible concealment of evidence and anti-terrorism legislation in support of the arrest. Related Articles • Fourth suspect remanded in Larnaca terrorism case The Geneva Council said documents it had examined did not specify the acts attributed to Miqdad, include supporting evidence or provide a clear description of the allegations against him. The organisation also stressed that the existence of an Interpol Red Notice “does not exempt states from their obligations under international human rights law”. The group said it feared Miqdad’s transfer to Cyprus could precede an extradition request from Israel. According to the NGO, Miqdad’s family claim the case is politically motivated due to his public advocacy for Palestinian rights and his opposition to the war in Gaza. The organisation called on the Cypriot authorities to refrain from any extradition procedure until an independent judicial review has been completed. The transfer comes days after police announced the extradition of a fourth suspect from abroad in an ongoing terrorism investigation in Larnaca. The suspects face twelve charges, including terrorism, conspiracy to commit a felony and possession of explosives. A 32-year-old and a 38-year-old remain in custody in relation to allegations that they planned attacks against Israeli interests in Cyprus following instructions received from abroad. A 54-year-old suspect, who had also been detained in the case, was released in June after the Larnaca district court rejected a request for his continued detention. The court imposed a €1 million bail requirement with guarantors, the surrender of travel documents and a requirement to report to police four times a week. A 57-year-old brother of one of the suspects was also arrested during the investigation but was later released after authorities found no evidence implicating him. The investigation began after police searches at premises in Governor’s Beach and the Kamares area of Larnaca led to the discovery of chemical substances, including ammonium nitrate, which investigators are examining as part of the case. Authorities have previously alleged that the case is connected to a 37-year-old man arrested in Greece, who reportedly confessed to authorities he attended a Hamas training camp in Malaysia in 2025. Police have confirmed that investigations remain ongoing.