Extradition Defense for Ukrainian Citizen Facing Fabricated Charges
A Ukrainian citizen in the Czech Republic sought legal protection against politically motivated extradition based on fabricated charges tied to her Donbas origin. Advocate Dmytro Konovalenko built a defense centered on asylum rights and human rights violations.
Case Overview
A Ukrainian national residing in the Czech Republic contacted our legal team for assistance in preventing her extradition to Ukraine, where she faces politically and corruption-motivated criminal charges. The client is originally from Horlivka in the Donbas region and claims she never held the government position tied to the alleged offenses. Nonetheless, she became the target of multiple fabricated charges during a time of political instability.
She has been living in the Czech Republic for several years, where she sought asylum. Although she successfully won a court ruling in her favor, the case was later sent back for further consideration by a higher court. Simultaneously, her asylum case has been ongoing for over five years and has already resulted in a favorable lower court decision.
Now, with mounting legal pressure from Ukrainian authorities and ongoing asylum proceedings, she urgently needs international protection and legal clarity.
Legal Strategy: Preventing Extradition Amid Pending Asylum and Political Risk
This case presents a complex overlap between extradition law, asylum rights, and human rights protections. Extraditing an individual who is actively seeking asylum — particularly in a case involving alleged political persecution or fabricated charges — is a violation of international norms and European legal principles.
Under the leadership of Dmytro Konovalenko, our team conducted a full legal risk assessment and began building a defense based on both the political nature of the charges and the client’s right to asylum. We emphasized the inconsistencies in the accusations, the client’s lack of professional connection to the alleged role, and the procedural irregularities in Ukraine.
We also worked to coordinate her asylum process with her extradition defense, ensuring that the Czech legal system recognizes the potential consequences of extraditing someone with protected refugee status. The legal strategy was based on international treaties, Czech asylum law, and procedural guarantees under the European Convention on Human Rights.As an expert in extradition defense, Mr. Konovalenko ensured the case included legal opinions, regional conflict context, and documentary evidence that reinforced the client’s innocence and need for protection.
Result
The client’s extradition has been paused pending the outcome of both her asylum appeal and a renewed legal challenge to the Ukrainian request. She remains under legal protection in the Czech Republic with continued support from our legal team. Her case is a strong example of how international legal advocacy and asylum protections can prevent the misuse of extradition for political or corrupt purposes.
