Cyprus Supreme Court approves extradition of Israeli national to Russia in piracy case

On October 6, 2026, the Supreme Court of Cyprus rejected a habeas corpus petition from a 48-year-old Israeli national, effectively clearing the path for his extradition to Russia. The individual has been in custody at the Central Prisons of Cyprus since his arrest on October 4, 2025, upon arriving in Larnaca from Haifa. The Larnaca District Court originally ruled on February 25, 2026, that the conditions for his extradition were legally met.

Russian authorities are seeking his trial in connection with the hijacking of the merchant vessel Arctic Sea in 2009. The alleged offenses involve acts of piracy committed by an organized group between July 24 and August 17, 2009. The vessel, carrying a cargo of timber, disappeared from radar after being intercepted by individuals claiming to be drug enforcement officers. It was later recovered off the coast of Cape Verde. The suspect could face up to 15 years in prison if convicted in Russia.

The Supreme Court dismissed the appeal, clarifying that habeas corpus proceedings are intended to review the legality of detention rather than serve as an appellate review of the extradition facts. The suspect remains detained pending his transfer to the Russian Federation to face the longstanding piracy charges.