Public prosecutor's office defends extradition of "Maja"

Delivery - Public prosecutor's office defends extradition of "Maja"

The Berlin Public Prosecutor's Office has rejected the criticism of the extradition of a person from the left scene to Hungary for a trial. The person was not extradited despite knowledge of the Constitutional Court's order, stated the deputy head of the office, Simone Herbeth, in the Legal Affairs Committee of the Berlin House of Representatives. "The extradition was completed before the decision from Karlsruhe reached us," said the Leading Public Prosecutor.

Guarantees from Hungary received

The office also had no information that the defense was seeking a preliminary injunction against the extradition, according to Herbeth. At the same time, she emphasized that the Berlin Regional Court had only approved the extradition after Hungary had given certain guarantees. This includes the promise that the person, if convicted, would serve their prison sentence. In addition, German diplomats could control the conditions of the investigative detention at any time.

The 23-year-old person, who was born in Jena and identifies as non-binary and is known in the left scene as "Maja," was extradited to Hungary in the night of June 28th. The authorities there accuse her of being a member of a criminal organization since 2017, whose goal was to attack sympathizers of the extreme right. "Maja" was arrested in Berlin in December 2023 and was in detention in Saxony. The Federal Prosecutor is also investigating "Maja." Due to the extradition request from Hungary, they suspended their proceedings.

Rapid extradition with helicopter

After Hungary had given the required guarantees, the Berlin Regional Court granted the extradition on Thursday afternoon, which the Public Prosecutor's Office had applied for. This was carried out promptly with a helicopter. According to Herbeth, the person was no longer on German territory from 6:50 p.m., but in Austria. Therefore, the Public Prosecutor's Office could no longer react to the decision of the Karlsruhe judges.

These judges had prohibited the extradition - however, only on Friday morning. Critics speak of a "Night and Fog Action." According to State Prosecutor Herbeth, the Saxon Police chose a helicopter as transportation due to potential security risks from the left scene.

Further criticism from the Greens and the Left

For the factions of the Left and the Greens, it remained incomprehensible why the extradition was carried out with such urgency without waiting for the decision of the highest German court in the expedited proceedings. "The authorities have deliberately set a fast pace to prevent a foreseeable constitutional complaint decision from the Federal Constitutional Court," said the spokesperson for the Left's legal policy, Sebastian Schluesselburg. The Greens focused particularly on the dangers for "Maja" given that Hungary is "an openly queer-hostile state."

Justice Senator Badenberg (CDU) has not commented on the matter so far. Schluesselburg demanded that she take a position. He announced that he would address the case again in the session of the House of Representatives on Thursday.

1. Despite critiques about the extradition of the individual from Berlin to Hungary for trial, the Federal Constitutional Court in Karlsruhe issued an order, but it arrived after the extradition process had already been completed.
2. The extradition of the individual, who hails from Jena and identifies as non-binary, was facilitated by the Berlin Regional Court after Hungary provided certain guarantees, including allowing German diplomats to monitor conditions during investigative detention.
3. The swift extradition of the individual was conducted with the assistance of a helicopter, as authorities in Saxony deemed it necessary due to potential security risks from the left scene.
4. The Federal Prosecutor in Germany suspended its investigation into the individual following the extradition request from Hungary. The Office of the Public Prosecutor General in Baden-Württemberg, however, has remained silent on the matter.
5. In response to the swift extradition, criticism arose from the Greens and the Left, particularly focusing on the hastiness of the process and potential dangers for the individual in Hungary, an openly queer-hostile state.

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