According to this ruling, the Montenegrin court rejected the extradition of Terra co-founder Do-kwon Kwon to Korea and the United States and accepted the appeal.
Appeal granted
Montenegro’s Court of Appeal overturned an earlier decision by Montenegro’s High Court to extradite Mr. Dokwon and sent the case back to the trial court for a retrial and ruling. This decision came after Do-kwon’s lawyer filed an appeal, claiming that it was a significant violation of the Criminal Procedure Act.
The Court of Appeal stated that under Article 29 of the International Mutual Legal Assistance Act, the court, not the Minister of Justice, must decide whether to extradite a criminal. This distinction is very important in extradition cases and ensures that proper legal procedures are followed.
The appeals court agreed with the opinion of Mr. Do-kwon’s lawyer and said, “The wording of the previous ruling was difficult to understand and the request for extradition of the criminal could not be processed.” The court pointed out that there were procedural problems in the process of processing claims from both Korea and the United States, and raised the need for appropriate extradition procedures.
Implications for governors
Accepting Do-Kwon’s appeal means he will not be extradited to face charges in South Korea or the United States. Instead, the case will return to the first trial for a retrial, giving Kwon a new opportunity to present his defense.
Meanwhile, former Terraform Labs CFO Han Chang-jun, who was sentenced to prison in Montenegro, was repatriated to Korea. Han Chang-jun’s extradition and Do-kwon’s acceptance of his appeal mark an important development in the legal proceedings surrounding Terra and its founders.
In May 2022, Terra co-founder and CEO Kwon Do-kwon received an extradition request from Korea and the United States in connection with financial crimes caused by the collapse of the Terra ecosystem. His extradition took place on charges involving billions of dollars. The dollar has plummeted, but a recent court ruling has put his extradition on hold.
The Montenegrin court’s acceptance of Mr. Do-Kwon’s appeal represents temporary relief for the Terra co-founder. The case will return to the trial court for retrial, so please check the results through Coinpedia.