Russia’s planned extradition of a jailed Israeli mercenary to Colombia was suspended.
Yair Klein, who is wanted by Bogota on charges of training illegal Colombian paramilitaries, was detained last year during a visit to Moscow.
Russia had planned to extradite him to Colombia, but Klein’s lawyer said Tuesday that proceedings had been halted at the behest of the European Court of Human Rights.
“His extradition to Colombia would be illegal. His human rights will be violated there,” said the lawyer, Dmitry Yampolsky.
Klein, a retired Israeli army colonel who previously served prison time for operating in Africa, has acknowledged working in Colombia but said this was with the government’s knowledge.
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