French court approves extradition of suspect in Cyprus property case

On July 1, 2026, the Aix-en-Provence Court of Appeal in France ruled in favor of a European Arrest Warrant issued by the Republic of Cyprus. The court ordered the extradition of a Lithuanian citizen suspected of illegal appropriation of Greek-Cypriot properties in the occupied territories of Cyprus. The suspect was initially arrested in France on May 16, 2026. This ruling marks a shift in the court's legal stance, as it previously rejected a similar warrant for an Iranian national on December 10, 2025. In the recent decision, the court determined that the lack of effective governmental control over the occupied areas does not preclude the application of EU law regarding arrest warrants. The outcome follows extensive coordination between the Cyprus Legal Service, the Ministry of Justice and Public Order, and French prosecutorial authorities. This cooperation is based on the principles of mutual trust within the EU judicial framework.