Alex Saab Must Not Be Extradited, United Nations Human Rights Commission Insists

The United Nations Human Rights Commission has maintained its stance on the planned extradition of Venezuelan diplomat , Alex Saab by the Cape Verde authorities insisting that the businessman must not be extradited.

The commission in a new letter to Cape Verde authorities to remind them of the need to comply with its earlier order not to extradite Venezuelan diplomat, Alex Saab, to the United States, said Cape Verde government must obey the ECOWAS ruling which declared Saab’s continued detention illegal.

CityMirrorNews reports that the new letter was not the first later the United Nations Human Rights Commission would write since the arrest of Saab.

It was gathered that the new letter to Cape Verde authorities, dated 16 June, was issued following a complaint No. 3953/2021, which was submitted to the Human Rights Committee, for consideration under the Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, on behalf of Saab.

According to the complaint, Saab’s health has continued to deteriorate while Cape Verde authorities have refused to obey the order of the commission on June 8 where it ordered the country to take all necessary measures to ensure access to appropriate health care for the author, preferably by independent and specialized physicians of his choice.

Reacting to the new order by the commission, the head of Saab’s defence on the continent, Femi Falana, explained that Caoe Verde authorities are hell bent on refusing the order, which is binding on them.

He explained that when the Ecowas Court ordered the immediate release of Saab from illegal custody and termination of the extradition proceedings pending in Cape Verdean courts, the country’s President, Fonseca, said that they were not bound by the decisions of the Regional Court.

However, when the Supreme Court of Justice of Cape Verde ruled that the immunity of H.E. Alex Saab was a political decision the government ignored the ruling.

“In reacting to the interim order of the United Nations Human Rights Committee for the release of H.E. Alex Saab from custody and stay of the extradition process President Fonseca has turned round to say that even though Cape Verde is bound by the decision the Government awaits the judgment of the Constitutional Court on the matter,” Falana, a Nigerian-based Senior Advocate, said.

He added that the argument of the President is grossly misleading as because is not unaware that the decisions of the Commission are not subject to the review of domestic courts of Cape Verde.

Saab was arrested and detained in Cape Verde based on the request of the Donald Trump led United States government during a stop over on his way to Iran over allegations of money laundering, a move the Venezuelan government faulted with claims that the businessman is its special envoy on a humanitarian mission.

The Venezuelan government claimed that before his arrest, Saab had been on a mission to get food and medical supplies in Iran, stopping over in Cape Verde where he was arrested by security operatives.

The failure of Cape Verdean authorities to obey the ruling of the ECOWAS court by extraditing Saab to the US is not the first contempt for court order by the authorities since his detention last year.

Saab was denied access to any member of his defense team despite three court rulings granting him the right to do so.