Philenews

Russian Citizen's Appeal for Asylum Rejected, Deportation Confirmed by Administrative Court

Published January 13, 2026, 10:21
Russian Citizen's Appeal for Asylum Rejected, Deportation Confirmed by Administrative Court

The Administrative Court has rejected the appeal of a Russian citizen and upheld the decision to deport him from Cyprus. The man was arrested at the Ledra Street checkpoint as he was wanted under an international arrest warrant by Russian authorities on terrorism charges. He initially filed an application for international protection, which was rejected, and a return order to Russia was subsequently issued. The Court confirmed the decision to declare him an illegal immigrant, emphasizing that filing an application for international protection did not grant him an automatic right to remain. It also distinguished between the extradition process and the international protection process, rejecting the argument that he should have been treated as an international protection applicant after the withdrawal of the extradition request. The Court ruled that the Russian citizen failed to prove he would face torture or inhuman treatment if deported to his home country. The case was handled by Katia Chatzidimitriou, State Attorney. The decision is considered significant, given the international warrant and the serious charges facing the Russian citizen.