Ireland set to pursue new extradition treaty with UAE
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Helen McEntee
The Irish government will seek to negotiate an extradition treaty with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) despite concerns raised by human rights campaigners, according to reports.
There have been calls from some quarters for Ireland to follow Denmark, Belgium and the Netherlands in striking an agreement with the Gulf state because members of the Kinahan cartel are understood to be living there.
Human rights lawyer Radha Stirling, who heads up campaign group Detained in Dubai, warned in September that “any such treaty carries the implication of validating the UAE’s criminal justice system”.
However, justice minister Helen McEntee told Newstalk this morning: “I think one of the great successes of An Garda Síochána in recent years has been the development of international law enforcement coalitions.
“So, we will begin talks with the UAE on an extradition treaty [and] on mutual legal assistance and this will mean that anyone who thinks that they can evade the law in other jurisdictions… they won’t be able to do so in the future.”
The matter was set to be discussed at Cabinet today and an official announcement is likely to follow.
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