UAE's highest court approves extraditing notorious trafficker Mehdi Charafa to France
The UAE Federal Supreme Court has approved the extradition of Charafa to the authorities in France following an extradition request filed with the UAE government on charges of drug trafficking and money laundering, WAM's report said.
After the completion of all relevant legal procedures by the accused and in alignment with the extradition treaty signed between both countries on May 2, 2007, the court made its decision to repatriate Charafa.
The Abu Dhabi Federal Appeal Court issued a decision approving the accused's extradition. Consequently, Charafa appealed the decision to the Federal Supreme Court, which dismissed his appeal and upheld the extradition on Jan. 14, 2025.
WAM said that the procedures reflected the UAE's commitment to continued collaboration with international partners in the pursuit of international justice.
According to The Pinnacle Gazette, on Jan. 23 France's Justice Minister Gerald Darmanin announced that the UAE had accepted the extradition of an individual (without naming Charafa) wanted by France, during a visit to Agen, Lot-et-Garonne while inspecting the National School for Prison Administration.
Charafa is described as 'a notoriously wanted narco bandit' by Darmanin, particularly pursued by the Interregional Specialized Jurisdiction of Bordeaux, which focuses on organized crime.
The nature of his criminal activities includes the use of the 'go-fast' methodology — a high-speed transport method commonly employed by drug traffickers to evade law enforcement.
The extradition agreement with France is one of more than 45 agreements signed in recent years with several countries, with the UAE committed to pursuing further accords, WAM reported.
These agreements demonstrate the keenness of the UAE to enhance cooperation in legal and judicial matters according to the best international practices in this field, aiming to reinforce efforts that combat global crimes.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Saudi Gazette
6 hours ago
- Saudi Gazette
Netanyahu asks Red Cross to help hostages in Gaza, as families warn against an ‘expanding war'
TEL AVIV — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has accused Hamas of not wanting a ceasefire deal and requested that the International Red Cross bring food and medical care to hostages held in Gaza, after public fury ignited over propaganda videos showing two emaciated Israeli captives. Tens of thousands of protestors joined a rally in Tel Aviv on Saturday evening – some holding placards reading 'Stop the war' and 'Leave no one behind' – as they called for Netanyahu to strike a deal that would free the Israeli hostages still held in Gaza. Videos released by the militant groups Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad last week showed hostages Evyatar David and Rom Braslavski in a visibly fragile state – images that galvanized a forceful reaction both at home and abroad. On Sunday, the International Red Cross (ICRC) in Israel and the Occupied Territories said that it was 'appalled' by the videos and urged that the 'dire situation must come to an end.' Several world leaders also condemned the videos of the Israel hostages, with French President Emmanuel Macron describing them as 'unbearable' and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz saying the images 'show that Hamas should have no role in Gaza's future.' Netanyahu's office said on Sunday that the prime minister spoke with Julien Lerisson, the head of the Red Cross delegation in the region, to request 'his involvement in the immediate provision of food and medical care for the hostages.' The office also repeated Netanyahu's denial that starvation was rife in the enclave, despite a UN-backed food security agency's warning this week that 'the worst-case scenario of famine' is unfolding in Gaza. Hamas has said it is prepared to 'deal positively' with any Red Cross request to deliver food and medicine to hostages, but only on the condition that humanitarian corridors are opened up in Gaza. The militant group claims that the hostages' emaciated state is a reflection of worsening conditions in the strip. However, other hostages who have been freed in the past have similarly appeared gaunt and frail at the time of their release and described malnourishment while in captivity. Abu Obeida, a spokesman for Hamas' military wing, al-Qassam Brigades, said this weekend that the group does not intentionally starve the hostages, and that they eat the same food that Hamas fighters and the general Gaza population eat. 'They will not receive any special privileges amid the crime of starvation and siege,' he added. A member of Hamas' political bureau, Izzat Al-Rashiq, described the images as 'the definitive response to all who deny the existence of famine in Gaza.' Malnutrition-related deaths in Gaza spiked in July, the latest sign of a worsening hunger crisis, the World Health Organization warned last week. The agency said the enclave's malnutrition rates reached 'alarming levels,' with over 5,000 children under five admitted for outpatient treatment of malnutrition in just the first two weeks of July. Gazans also face lethal danger when attempting to collect aid from distribution sites, where violent clashes can erupt. On Sunday, a shooting incident near an aid site in northern Gaza killed at least 13 people and left dozens wounded, according to the Emergency and Medical Services in Gaza. Allowing Red Cross access would be a shift for Hamas, which has previously opposed any access to the hostages by the humanitarian group. The ICRC, which has only facilitated previous releases of hostages throughout the war, said in March that it was 'hugely disappointing' to have not yet been able to visit any hostages so far, emphasizing that it was not for lack of trying. Recent ceasefire talks have borne little fruit, with Israeli and US negotiators recalled from negotiations last month. US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff at the time blamed Hamas for poor coordination and 'lack of desire to reach a ceasefire,' saying the US would consider 'alternative options.' On Sunday, Netanyahu cited the latest images of Hamas captives as evidence of bad faith. 'When I see this, I understand exactly what Hamas wants. They don't want a deal. They want to break us with these horrifying videos, with the false horror propaganda they're spreading around the world,' he said. The Israeli leader is now 'pushing for the freeing of the hostages through military defeat (of Hamas),' one Israeli official told CNN on Sunday – a route that the hostages' families have repeatedly warned against. 'We are in discussions with the Americans. There is a growing understanding that Hamas is not interested in a deal,' the official said, adding that Netanyahu wants to combine the freeing of the hostages 'with the entry of humanitarian aid into areas outside the combat zones and, as much as possible, into areas not under Hamas control.' Steve Witkoff, the United States' Special Envoy to the Middle East, held a nearly three-hour meeting with the families of those still being held in the Gaza Strip on Saturday, telling them that the US' 'first priority' is getting the hostages back to Israel, the forum said. Fifty hostages remain in Gaza, at least 20 of whom are believed to be alive. CNN has reached out to Witkoff's team to confirm that he made these comments. As Israel's war in Gaza grinds on, it has faced increasing resistance from the Israeli public, whose frustration over the fates of the remaining hostages has intensified. According to polling released by the Israel Democracy Institute during a ceasefire period in March, over 70% of Israelis supported negotiating with Hamas for an end to the fighting and an Israeli withdrawal from Gaza in exchange for the release of the remaining hostages. Fifty hostages remain in Gaza, at least 20 of whom are believed to be alive. The hostages' families have repeatedly urged Netanyahu to strike a deal, warning that Red Cross assistance alone will not be enough, and that further expansion of the fighting in Gaza could endanger the remaining hostages' lives. 'Netanyahu is preparing the greatest deception of all. The repeated claims of freeing hostages through military victory are a lie and a public fraud,' Israel's Hostages and Missing Families Forum said in a statement on Sunday. The group also condemned Hamas, saying it 'cannot hide the fact that we are dealing with an evil terrorist organization that has been holding innocent people in impossible conditions for over 660 days.' Hamas publicly insists that it remains committed to hostage release talks – but only if conditions in Gaza improve first. The group recently stopped engaging in any discussions regarding a ceasefire or the release of hostages, two sources familiar with the matter told CNN last week. 'It is essential to improve the catastrophic humanitarian situation significantly and to obtain a written response from the enemy regarding our response,' Basem Naim, a senior Hamas political official, also told CNN. 'This is a condition to go back to negotiations.' — CNN
Leaders
7 hours ago
- Leaders
Hamas Ready to Cooperate with ICRC If Israel Opens Humanitarian Corridors in Gaza
The Palestinian movement Hamas has expressed its willingness to cooperate with the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) to deliver aid to Israeli hostages held in Gaza if Israel meets certain conditions. Hamas statements came in response to the harsh criticism from Western leaders after releasing videos showing Israeli hostages in a visibly emaciated and fragile state. Hostage Videos On Thursday, the Palestinian Islamic Jihad released video of Rom Braslavski, in which he appeared thin and crying due to lack of food and water. Then, on Saturday, Hamas published video of emaciated Evyatar David, digging a hole 'for his own grave,' reported Reuters. The videos sparked fierce reaction from Israel and Western leaders. Israel accused Hamas of starving hostages, with the Israeli Foreign Ministry announcing that the UN Security Council will hold a special session on Tuesday morning to discuss the situation of the hostages in Gaza. Moreover, countries such as France, Germany, the UK and the US condemned the videos, with French President, Emmanuel Macron, calling them 'unbearable' and German Chancellor, Friedrich Merz, arguing that the images 'show that Hamas should have no role in Gaza's future.' The ICRC in Israel and the Occupied Territories also said it was 'appalled' by the videos, urging that the 'dire situation must come to an end.' An Appeal to ICRC Israeli officials believe that Hamas is holding 50 hostages in Gaza, only 20 of whom are still alive. The Palestinian group has banned humanitarian organizations' access to the hostages and their families have no information about their condition. After the release of the videos, the Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, spoke with the ICRC's regional head on Sunday, requesting 'his involvement in the immediate provision of food and medical care for the hostages,' reported CNN citing Netanyahu's office. The office also reiterated denial of starvation in Gaza, despite the UN-backed Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) warning that the 'worst-case scenario of famine' is 'now unfolding' in Gaza. Hamas Conditions In response, Hamas said it was ready to 'deal positively' with the ICRC but on the condition that Israel opens humanitarian corridors into Gaza on a regular and permanent basis and halts airstrikes during the distribution of aid. Furthermore, the Palestinian movement said that the emaciated state of the hostages reflected the worsening conditions in the Strip. In the light of this, the spokesperson of al-Qassam Brigades, Hamas' military wing, Abu Obeida, said that Hamas does not intentionally starve the hostages, adding that they eat the same food that the general Gaza population and the group's fighters eat. 'They will not receive any special privileges amid the crime of starvation and siege,' he noted. Hunger Crisis Gaza is enduring a worsening starvation crisis, with malnutrition-related deaths spiking in July. The World Health Organization (WHO) warned last week that malnutrition rates in the enclave reached 'alarming levels,' with more than 5,000 children under five admitted for outpatient treatment of malnutrition in just the first two weeks of July. According to Gaza's Health Ministry, starvation and malnutrition inflicted by the war have claimed the lives of 175 Palestinians in the enclave, including 93 children, as of Sunday, August 3, 2025. Meanwhile, the war's death toll has exceeded 60,800. Moreover, 1,487 Palestinian aid seekers have been killed by Israeli gunfire while trying to collect food supplies from aid distribution sites and more than 10,500 others have been injured. Gaza Ceasefire Stalemate Ceasefire talks to end the war in Gaza have reached a deadlock, after the US and Israel pulled their negotiating teams from Doha, saying they would consider alternatives. Israel has put Hamas' disarmament as one of the key conditions to reach a ceasefire in Gaza, but the Palestinian movement firmly rejects that demand. During a recent visit to Israel, the US Special Envoy, Steve Witkoff, told the hostage families that Washington was working with the Israeli government on a plan to end the war in Gaza, saying Hamas expressed it willingness to abandon its arms. However, Hamas dismissed Witkoff's claims, insisting that it would not abandon 'armed resistance' unless an 'independent, fully sovereign Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital' was established. Meanwhile, Hamas has emphasized its commitment to ceasefire and hostage release talks, but on the condition that the humanitarian situation in Gaza improves. 'It is essential to improve the catastrophic humanitarian situation significantly and to obtain a written response from the enemy regarding our response. This is a condition to go back to negotiations,' Basem Naim, a senior Hamas political official, told CNN Short link : Post Views: 70
Leaders
21 hours ago
- Leaders
When Will Arabs Form Deterrent Force to Protect Themselves?
By: Dr. Atef Al-Shabrawy International Expert in Development and Social Economy In 1966, the classic theorist Thomas Schelling introduced a novel concept at the time: 'deterrence.' After World War II, military strategy shifted away from what was known as 'military victory' and began to rely on the art of coercion, intimidation, and deterrence. Schelling argued that the ability to inflict harm on another state is a threatening factor that influences the behavior of that state, compelling it to refrain from aggressive actions. In response to a question from French television in 1974 about whether Iran planned to acquire nuclear weapons, the Shah of Iran cleverly replied, 'My country has signed a non-proliferation treaty. If we trust the major nuclear powers because they are responsible, we wonder: what would happen if there were a 'frivolous' state in the region seeking to acquire such weapons, and who would it attack?' The Concept of Deterrence This approach was echoed by France in the same year when it announced its possession of what President de Gaulle termed 'nuclear deterrence.' This weapon was developed independently by France to avoid reliance on the United States, allowing it to leave NATO. De Gaulle himself, using similar justifications, provided Israel with nuclear weapons under the pretext of protecting it from the Arab threat. In a jab at President Nasser for supporting the Algerian revolution, French diplomat Stéphane Hessel wrote in his memoirs in 2011: 'Helping Israel acquire nuclear weapons is a mandatory task; we created Israel, and we must protect it from a dangerous Arab world that opposes it.' Nuclear Experiments Researcher Dominique Schnapper noted in her 2021 book 'De Gaulle in the Eyes of the Jews' that between 1960 and 1966, France conducted dozens of nuclear tests, some of which were attended by Israeli experts. Consequently, Israel did not need to conduct its own nuclear tests, as France shared the results of its experiments, effectively granting Israel entry into the nuclear club. Mordechai Vanunu Exposes Israel Despite this, Israel continued to deny possessing nuclear weapons until its project engineer, Mordechai Vanunu, leaked classified information and photographs from the Dimona reactor to the British press in 1986, revealing the 'Israeli nuclear ambiguity' that had persisted for decades. Israeli-Iranian Bombardment During the 12 days of mutual Israeli-Iranian bombardment, it became evident that the struggle for control over the Middle East and its resources involves preventing certain countries from acquiring any deterrent capabilities, monitoring and stifling their attempts, and even destroying them. Iraq was destroyed under the pretext of possessing fictitious weapons of mass destruction, and similar arguments were used against Iran, as if nuclear weapons were the exclusive domain of major powers and their allies. In May 1998, India announced that it had become a nuclear power following secret tests that went undetected by American satellites. Shortly thereafter, its historical rival, Pakistan, declared its entry into the nuclear club, becoming the only Muslim nation to achieve this feat while the major powers were distracted. Dr. Abdul Qadeer Khan, the father of the Pakistani bomb, conducted tests in the Baluchistan mountains before being arrested for allegedly assisting Iran, Libya, and North Korea in developing nuclear technology. He was forced to make a televised apology but remained under house arrest until his death in 2021. Ballistic Missiles The intense Iranian bombardment of Israel highlighted the fact that nuclear technology is not the only deterrent weapon; ballistic and hypersonic missiles can also serve as strategic deterrents. The world witnessed their use in Iranian attacks on Israeli cities, which caused global panic and compelled major powers to intervene. These missiles effectively deterred and broke the aggressor, and the brief conflict, which aimed to divert attention from the ethnic cleansing in Gaza, appeared to be a test of weapons and technologies in preparation for a larger battle whose participants we do not yet know, but we do know its location. Extreme Democracy With the cessation of bombardment, a new dimension of nuclear and strategic deterrence emerged, particularly for Arab nations in the region. The alarming increase in economic exchanges and investments between regional countries and the West seems to have provided us with no negotiating advantage or satisfaction regarding our positions and orientations. It has not erased the cultural and ideological divisions among us, nor the greed for our resources. There is now a tangible threat from the 'Western democracy' that once brought forth Hitler as a symbol of the extremism produced by the ballot box. Recently, 'democratic' extremist leaders have emerged in the United States, Israel, and most European countries, with increasing possibilities of future leadership that may be even more extreme and violent, potentially unleashing bloodier wars. NATO has decided to raise member contributions to military spending from 2% to 5% of GDP by 2035. Enormous Military Budgets It is worth imagining that the 32 NATO countries do not spend more on defense than they do on healthcare or education. Nevertheless, adopting a 5% contribution means these countries will allocate more to their militaries than to education. These enormous budgets could become a more aggressive and extreme force, potentially turning against any friendly nations. The Future of Arabs The future of Arabs is now at the mercy of existential threats that require us all to form an independent intellectual, scientific, and material force, seeking a 'entity' that achieves the strategic deterrence necessary to prevent future generations from suffering and being destroyed by a new right-wing extremist. I recall the words of Saudi writer Othman Al-Omeir: 'We are heading into the future with the people of the future.' I doubt that the 'people of the future' he referred to will take us along with them, given our weaknesses. It is perhaps better to say: 'We are heading into the future with our strength; for strength secures us a place among the people of the future.' Short link : Post Views: 3
