Croatia detains Ukrainian arrested over Nord Stream sabotage
A Croatian investigating judge has ordered Ukrainian national Volodymyr Zhuravliov to be held in custody after he was arrested in Pula on 19 August under a European arrest warrant issued in connection with the Nord Stream sabotage case.
Source: European Pravda, citing Croatian media outlet Index
Details: The Ukrainian national was brought before the County Court in Pula on Thursday 20 August after being questioned by the county state prosecutor's office, which requested his detention pending his extradition to Germany.
His lawyer, Matija Miloš, confirmed the decision to journalists.
"My client has been remanded in custody following a request by the state prosecutor to secure his surrender under a European arrest warrant issued by the Federal Republic of Germany," Miloš said, adding that the defence would appeal.
"However, what is much more important for us is the subsequent proceedings, in which a panel of judges will decide whether the conditions for his surrender have been met," the lawyer said.
Miloš said Zhuravliov would not be extradited to Germany until a decision had been made on the appeal.
The defence will also point to the fact that Germany is seeking his extradition based on the same facts and legal classification that have already been rejected in Poland.
"These are the two main reasons that we explained in detail today, and they will be considered further," Miloš said.
The defence has three days from receiving the written decision to lodge an appeal.
Background:
- On 19 August, Germany's Public Prosecutor General announced that Zhuravliov had been arrested in Croatia in connection with the Nord Stream sabotage case.
- Reports in the media say that Zhuravliov was arrested in Croatia while filming a Hollywood movie about the sabotage. The film, titled Snake Island, is inspired by events surrounding the 2022 explosions of the Nord Stream gas pipelines off the German coast.
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