SMW instructed in Israeli extradition request

Sonn Macmillan Walker were instructed by our client who had been requested for extradition by the State of Israel, a country with a very limited history of extradition requests from the UK.  

The requesting state sought our client in order to stand trial for offences of rioting, grievous bodily harm under aggravating circumstances, common assault (multiple counts) assault under aggravating circumstances that causes actual bodily harm, blackmail by use of force and blackmail by use of threats. The allegations all arose from a series of protests by 15-20 persons to the presence of an electronic shop in a religious neighbourhood of Jerusalem in 2008.

Our client stood trial in 2010 but was said to leave the jurisdiction prior to the verdict. At the time of the request, our client was living in London with his wife and 7 children. The arguments against the extradition were that the request was insufficiently particularised, that extradition was incompatible with EG’s rights under Article 3 of the ECHR and that extradition was incompatible with EG and his family’s rights under article 8 of the ECHR.

Expert opinions were obtained on all three points from an Israeli lawyer, international prisons experts and family and child psychologist. The extradition was ordered following the case in the Magistrates’ court and appeal to the High Court granted on all three points. Legal aid was extended to instruct a KC. The appeal was refused but is pending a further application to re-open as a result of the 7 October attacks and subsequent conflict.

David Sonn and Marlon Grossman are the solicitors acting on this case. Benjamin Seifert of 1 Crown Office Row and Mark Summers KC of Matrix Chambers are the instructed counsel.