First extradition hearing against pro footballer Quincy Promes in Dubai today

Today is the first day of the extradition process surrounding pro footballer Quincy Promes in Dubai. Promes was arrested in Dubai at the Netherlands' request. A local judge will now decide whether to extradite him to the Netherlands. Russia has also requested Promes’ extradition due to tax fraud, AT5 reports.

Promes was convicted in the Netherlands for cocaine trafficking and for stabbing his cousin in the leg. The courts sentenced him to 6 and 1.5 years in prison, respectively. The footballer lives in Russia and did not attend either trial. According to his lawyer Robert Malewicz, Promes would lose his contract with Spartak Moscow if he was arrested in the Netherlands.

In March, Promes went to a football camp in Dubai with Spartak Moscow. At the Netherlands' request, the police arrested him there just before his return to Russia. He was already under house arrest in the United Arab Emirates country for a hit-and-run.

Today, the judge in Dubai will consider the extradition requests. “The extradition judge in Dubai does not look at the convictions because Promes has appealed. So they only look at the facts he is suspected of and whether this carries at least a year in prison,” lawyer Kerem Canatan, who specializes in international criminal law and extradition, explained to AT5.

The Dutch cases against Promes both carry prison sentences of longer than a year, so the judge will assess whether there are other reasons to refuse extradition. “For example, they may say that the Netherlands has not sent the correct papers or that it was not submitted properly.” If the judge decides to extradite, Promes can still appeal. “But I expect that - if the extradition is allowed - he will be in the Netherlands this year.”

The Telegraaf reported that the footballer is being held at the Al-Aweer prison for people awaiting extradition. According to the newspaper, Promes is in a cell with 24 other prisoners and only enough sleeping space for six in the form of three double bunk beds.