site.btaSofia City Court Rules against Extradition of Russian Ship Owner Linked to 2020 Deadly Beirut Port Blast

The Sofia City Court ruled Wednesday against the extradition of Russian national Igor Grechushkin to Lebanon. He was charged for causing the massive Beirut port explosion in 2020, which killed at least 215 people, injured more than 6,000, and devastated large parts of the Lebanese capital, causing billions of dollars in damages.

The court noted that the man is suspected of committing a crime on Lebanese territory. It was also pointed out that the explosion almost destroyed the port of Beirut and caused the death of a large number of people. 

Prosecutor Angel Kanev noted that the explosion had killed more than 200 people, injured more than 6,000, and destroyed more than 6,000 buildings. He noted that the trial was not political. "I will appeal the court's decision within seven days," supervising prosecutor Angel Kanev told reporters. He noted that there were grounds for extraditing the accused.

"According to the court, Lebanon has not provided sufficient evidence to guarantee that he will not be sentenced to death. Several requests were filed by Lebanon. In each of them, the legal classification and the acts for which he would be held criminally liable in Lebanon were different. I assume that the prosecution will appeal the decision, and if there is an appeal, we will defend ourselves before the Appellate court," the defendant's lawyer, Ekaterina Dimitrova, told reporters, adding that she was satisfied with the court's decision and found it fair. The defense attorney also noted that the defendant's health had deteriorated due to high blood sugar levels, which had necessitated his stay in hospital.

Grechushkin is the owner of a cargo ship linked to a cargo of ammonium nitrate at the centre of the blast.

He was detained at Vasil Levski–Sofia Airport in early September. He told border officials he had arrived in Bulgaria as a tourist. He landed in Sofia on September 5 on a flight from Paphos, Cyprus. During the routine border check, an Interpol red notice flagged him as internationally wanted.