Home > Extradition from UAE — Complete Guide by Country (2026) > Extradition from UAE to Europe — Country-by-Country Guide > Can You Be Extradited from Dubai (UAE) to Greece? Process, Cases & Legal Defence

Can You Be Extradited from Dubai (UAE) to Greece? Process, Cases & Legal Defence

## Can the UAE Extradite Someone to Greece?

Yes, the UAE can extradite individuals to Greece, even without a formal bilateral extradition treaty between the two countries. Extradition from Dubai and the wider UAE to Greece operates under the **reciprocity provisions** established in **Federal Law No. 39 of 2006 on International Judicial Cooperation in Criminal Matters**. This law permits the UAE to honour extradition requests from countries like Greece on the basis of mutual legal assistance and reciprocity, provided the request meets stringent legal criteria including dual criminality, sufficient evidence, and compliance with human rights standards. Greek authorities must submit their extradition request through formal diplomatic and judicial channels via the UAE Ministry of Justice, which acts as the Central Authority for all international criminal cooperation matters.

The absence of a dedicated UAE-Greece extradition treaty does not prevent extradition; rather, it requires Greek prosecutors to demonstrate that the alleged offence constitutes a crime in both jurisdictions, that proper procedural safeguards exist, and that the request satisfies all conditions set out under UAE federal law. The process involves multiple layers of scrutiny by UAE prosecutors, judicial review, and ultimately ministerial approval before any individual can be surrendered to Greek authorities.

## UAE–Greece Extradition: Legal Basis

The legal framework governing extradition from UAE to Greece rests entirely on **Federal Law No. 39 of 2006**. This comprehensive statute regulates all forms of international judicial cooperation in criminal matters, including extradition to countries without bilateral treaties. Article 1 of the law establishes that extradition may be granted either pursuant to a treaty or on the basis of reciprocity, making it the cornerstone of UAE-Greece extradition relations.

Under the reciprocity mechanism, Greece must demonstrate willingness to reciprocate in similar circumstances—meaning Greek authorities would honour comparable UAE extradition requests. The UAE Ministry of Justice evaluates whether Greece has previously cooperated with UAE requests or whether Greek domestic law permits such cooperation. This reciprocal arrangement has become increasingly important as international criminal cooperation intensifies, particularly in cases involving financial crimes, organized crime networks operating across Mediterranean and Gulf regions, and fugitives attempting to exploit jurisdictional gaps.

The UAE’s approach mirrors structures seen in extradition from UAE to Italy and other European jurisdictions where reciprocity serves as the foundation for cooperation. Greece, as a European Union member state bound by various international conventions on criminal matters, generally satisfies UAE reciprocity requirements, though each request undergoes individual assessment.

Federal Law No. 39 of 2006 mandates that extradition requests address fundamental principles including dual criminality (the conduct must constitute a criminal offence in both countries), the rule of speciality (limiting prosecution to offences specified in the request), and compliance with internationally recognized human rights standards.

## How the Process Works Under Federal Law No. 39 of 2006

The extradition process from Dubai to Greece follows a multi-stage procedure involving diplomatic, prosecutorial, and judicial examination.

**Stage 1: Formal Request Submission**
Greek authorities must submit an official extradition request through diplomatic channels—typically from the Greek Ministry of Justice to the UAE Ministry of Justice, which serves as the Central Authority. The request must include comprehensive documentation: an arrest warrant or equivalent judicial decision, detailed description of the alleged offences, applicable Greek legal provisions, evidence supporting probable cause, identity information about the requested person, and assurances regarding trial procedures and treatment.

**Stage 2: Prosecutorial Review**
UAE federal prosecutors review the request for compliance with Federal Law No. 39 of 2006. They verify whether dual criminality exists, assess the quality and sufficiency of evidence, confirm the individual’s identity, and determine whether any mandatory grounds for refusal apply. If documentation proves deficient, prosecutors may request supplementary information from Greek authorities before proceeding.

**Stage 3: Provisional Arrest**
Upon receiving an urgent request, UAE authorities may provisionally arrest the individual before complete documentation arrives. This provisional detention typically lasts 30 days but may be extended if Greece provides the formal extradition request within that timeframe. The arrested person must be informed of the extradition proceedings and granted access to legal counsel.

**Stage 4: Judicial Hearing**
UAE courts conduct a hearing to examine the legal basis for extradition. The individual may present defences, challenge evidence, raise human rights concerns, or dispute identity. The court does not determine guilt or innocence but rather whether legal conditions for extradition are satisfied. Judicial review ensures compliance with UAE constitutional principles and international obligations.

**Stage 5: Ministerial Decision**
Following judicial approval, the UAE Minister of Justice makes the final executive decision on whether to authorize surrender. Even after court approval, the Minister retains discretion to refuse extradition based on foreign policy considerations, humanitarian concerns, or diplomatic factors.

**Stage 6: Surrender and Transfer**
If extradition is approved, Greek authorities must collect the individual within a specified period (typically 30 days). The transfer occurs under escort, with formal handover procedures documented by both jurisdictions.

## Grounds the UAE Can Refuse Extradition to Greece

UAE law establishes both mandatory and discretionary grounds for refusing extradition to Greece, providing substantial protections for requested individuals.

**Mandatory Refusal Grounds:**

The UAE must refuse extradition if the alleged offence is of a political character or if the request appears politically motivated. Political offences fall outside extradition cooperation under Federal Law No. 39 of 2006, reflecting international norms protecting individuals from persecution for political opinions or activities.

Requests involving military offences with no civilian criminal counterpart cannot proceed. Similarly, if the individual has already been tried and acquitted or served their sentence in the UAE for the same conduct (principle of *ne bis in idem*), extradition is barred.

The UAE will not extradite its own nationals to Greece. As with most civil law jurisdictions, the UAE Constitution protects citizens from extradition, though the UAE may prosecute nationals domestically for offences committed abroad if Greece provides evidence.

**Discretionary Refusal Grounds:**

The UAE may refuse extradition if substantial grounds exist to believe the individual would face torture, inhuman or degrading treatment, or punishment in Greece. While Greece maintains European human rights standards, individual circumstances—such as health conditions, prison conditions for specific categories of detainees, or documented mistreatment risks—might trigger this protection.

Requests failing fair trial standards warrant refusal. The UAE examines whether Greek proceedings would provide adequate defence rights, impartial tribunals, and procedural fairness.

Cases with insufficient documentation or identity doubts provide grounds for refusal. Greek authorities must submit evidence meeting UAE evidentiary standards and clearly establish the requested person’s identity.

Offences considered minor or time-barred under UAE law, humanitarian considerations including family circumstances and health status, and prosecutorial discretion based on proportionality all constitute potential refusal grounds.

## Extraditable Offences and Evidence Requirements

Greece may request extradition from the UAE for serious criminal offences satisfying the dual criminality requirement—conduct criminalized in both Greek and UAE law.

**Commonly Extraditable Offences:**

**Money laundering** constitutes a priority offence category for both jurisdictions. The UAE has comprehensive anti-money laundering legislation aligning with international standards, making financial crimes a common basis for extradition cooperation with Greece, particularly involving cross-border fraud schemes, embezzlement, or illicit financial flows.

**Human trafficking** cases receive serious attention from both UAE and Greek authorities. As transit and destination countries facing trafficking challenges, both nations prioritize cooperation in prosecuting trafficking networks.

**Intellectual property crimes** including large-scale counterfeiting, copyright infringement for commercial purposes, and trademark violations support extradition where significant commercial harm or organized criminal activity exists.

**Ransomware and cybercrime** offences increasingly feature in international cooperation. As both countries combat digital crime, extradition requests involving cryptocurrency fraud, ransomware attacks, or significant cybercrime operations align with mutual enforcement priorities.

Traditional serious offences including murder, kidnapping, sexual offences against minors, drug trafficking, terrorism-related offences, corruption and bribery, armed robbery, and fraud exceeding minimum thresholds also satisfy dual criminality requirements.

**Evidence Thresholds:**

Greece must provide evidence establishing probable cause or reasonable suspicion that the individual committed the alleged offence. While UAE courts do not conduct full guilt determinations, they require sufficient evidence demonstrating a credible case worthy of prosecution. Greek court judgments, arrest warrants issued by competent judicial authorities, witness statements and documentary evidence, and forensic or expert reports strengthen extradition requests.

The UAE applies principles similar to those in extradition from UAE to Turkey, requiring clear documentation of the factual and legal basis for prosecution.

## How to Defend Against Extradition from UAE to Greece

Individuals facing Greek extradition requests in Dubai or elsewhere in the UAE have several substantive and procedural defences available.

**Challenge Dual Criminality:** Demonstrate that the alleged conduct does not constitute a criminal offence under UAE law. Differences between Greek and UAE legal systems—particularly regarding regulatory offences, commercial disputes criminalized in Greece but treated civilly in the UAE, or conduct protected under UAE law—may defeat extradition.

**Raise Human Rights Concerns:** Present evidence of specific risks you would face in Greece, including health conditions requiring treatment unavailable or inadequate in Greek facilities, documented risks of mistreatment for your particular demographic or case type, or family circumstances creating humanitarian concerns. Medical evidence, expert reports on Greek prison conditions, and documentation of previous human rights violations strengthen these arguments.

**Contest Evidence Sufficiency:** Greek requests lacking adequate evidentiary support fail UAE standards. Challenge insufficient documentation, identity misidentification, reliance on inadmissible evidence, or failure to establish probable cause. Technical deficiencies in Greek submissions provide grounds for refusal.

**Assert Political Motivation:** If evidence suggests the Greek prosecution targets you for political opinions, activities, or affiliations rather than legitimate criminal conduct, the political offence exception bars extradition. This defence requires substantial evidence of political persecution.

**Invoke Speciality Concerns:** Demand assurances that Greece will prosecute only offences specified in the extradition request and will not extend detention or prosecution to other matters. Without adequate speciality guarantees, UAE courts may refuse surrender.

**Procedural Irregularities:** Challenge failures in diplomatic protocol, lack of jurisdiction by the requesting Greek authority, statute of limitations expiration under either Greek or UAE law, or violations of your procedural rights during UAE detention.

**Alternative Solutions:** Propose alternatives including voluntary departure to Greece to negotiate charges, prosecution in the UAE for the same conduct if you are a UAE national, or settlement of underlying disputes rendering criminal proceedings unnecessary.

Engaging experienced legal counsel immediately upon learning of a Greek extradition request is essential. Lawyers specializing in international criminal law and UAE extradition proceedings can assess your specific circumstances, identify applicable defences, negotiate with both UAE and Greek authorities, and represent you through judicial proceedings.

## FAQ

## Contact an Extradition Lawyer for UAE-Greece Cases

Extradition proceedings between the UAE and Greece involve complex international legal frameworks, tight procedural timelines, and serious consequences. Whether you are facing a Greek extradition request in Dubai, concerned about potential proceedings, or need advice on international criminal exposure, specialized legal representation is essential.

Our firm provides comprehensive defence services for individuals facing extradition from UAE to Bulgaria and other international jurisdictions, with deep expertise in Federal Law No. 39 of 2006, UAE criminal procedure, and international human rights law. We work directly with UAE prosecutors, conduct thorough legal research on Greek law and procedural standards, represent clients through all court proceedings, and coordinate with Greek legal counsel when appropriate.

Early intervention significantly improves outcomes in extradition cases. Contact our legal team immediately for a confidential consultation regarding Greek extradition matters in the UAE.