Today is the first day of the extradition process surrounding footballer Quincy Promes. The 32-year-old Amsterdammer, with two convictions to his name in the Netherlands, has so far been able to avoid punishment because he plays football in Russia. But the tension is increasing, Promes was arrested in Dubai at the request of the Netherlands and it is up to the judge whether he will be extradited.
Promes was convicted in the Netherlands for cocaine trafficking and for stabbing his cousin. For the proven facts he was sentenced to prison terms of 6 and 1.5 years respectively. At both trials, the footballer – now active for Spartak Moscow – was conspicuous by his absence. According to his lawyer Robert Malewicz, because it would cost his contract if he were arrested in the Netherlands.
But Promes was arrested at Dubai airport in March, just before he was due to fly back to Moscow. The arrest took place at the request of the Netherlands. Promes was already serving a house arrest in Dubai for allegedly causing a traffic accident in that country and then driving away. Russia has also requested Promes’ extradition due to tax fraud.
‘Notorious Al-Aweer prison’
According to De Telegraaf, Quincy Promes is now being held in the infamous Al-Aweer prison, a place where people are held who are awaiting extradition. According to the newspaper, Promes would be in a cell there with twenty other prisoners, while his cell only has six sleeping places in the form of three double bunk beds.
How does the extradition process from Quincy Promes work?
Today is the first day of hearing in the extradition process surrounding footballer Quincy Promes. But how does that work and how realistic is it that the Amsterdammer will soon be in the Netherlands?
Lawyer Kerem Canatan specializes in international criminal law and extraditions. He explains how an extradition process works.
“The extradition judge in Dubai does not look at the convictions, because Promes has appealed against his convictions. So they only look at the facts he is suspected of and whether this carries at least a year in prison. Well, that is true in the case of Promes and then they will assess whether there are reasons to refuse extradition.”
“For example, they may say that the Netherlands has not sent the correct papers or that it has not been submitted correctly. Other grounds for refusal are, for example, if it concerns a political offense or if someone could receive the death penalty. Or if it would not constitute a criminal offense in the country itself. This is then argued by the lawyers and the judge must then assess whether those grounds for refusal apply,” says Canatan.
Since 2021, the Netherlands has had an extradition treaty with the United Arab Emirates, of which Dubai is a part. Partly to make it relatively easy to extradite suspects or convicts.
“Normally, you are extradited after the extradition decision, and there is normally an appeal option. But I expect that – if the extradition is allowed – he will be in the Netherlands this year.
A month before his arrest in Dubai, Quincy Promes was sentenced to six years in prison in Amsterdam for importing two shipments of cocaine. Promes is said to have imported containers with cocaine via the port of Antwerp at the beginning of 2020. The Public Prosecution Service demanded nine years in prison: “Apparently the money came in for him literally and figuratively in buckets and that was what it was all about,” the public prosecutor said. Promes denies that he was involved in the import of the cocaine shipments and appealed against the sentence.
He did the same against his 1.5 year prison sentence that was imposed on him for stabbing his cousin at a family party in Abcoude. A tendon in the victim’s knee was completely severed during the stabbing. Not only does he have a large scar from the subsequent operation, he also still cannot use his leg.
“Did Promes intend to cause injury? Yes,” the public prosecutor said during the substantive hearing. “By stabbing and making movements so hard and in a ferocious state, Promes wanted to cause serious injury to the victim. It is fortunate that it was only one stabbing.” Although Promes has always denied that he was the one who stabbed, he told his father, mother and aunt via telephone and WhatsApp that he had stabbed his cousin.
“Otherwise I’ll stab him to death, you understand that, right?”
Promes: “Why are you jumping for that cousin of yours? You saved his life.” To that, his father, intervening, replied, “Quincy, I don’t want you to get into trouble.” To which Promes said: “Otherwise I will stab him to death, you understand that, right?”
During the trial, the victim – through his sister – exercised his right to speak and lashed out. “You literally and figuratively give a shit about the entire family and only think about your own ‘hachie’. It’s even so bad that you let your own parents lie for you and put people in your favor to stay out of harm’s way,” she said .
AT5
A first hearing in the appeal of the Quincy Promes case is scheduled for September 20. The Dutch Public Prosecution Service hopes that the suspect will be there for the first time. Promes’ law firm responded to the extradition proceedings. “The extradition procedure will now have to be completed in the United Arab Emirates. We would like to point out that an independent judge in Dubai will now decide on the Dutch extradition request. In general, an extradition procedure can take quite some time and involve many formal steps and requirements. This is also completely common in the Netherlands. The outcome and duration of the extradition procedure cannot be predicted at this time.”
“Finally, we point out the principle of trust that applies in extradition law. This entails trust in each other’s judicial process. By extension, it is also customary for states and authorities involved not to comment on the extradition procedure as long as it is before the courts. In line with this We will not make any further announcements while the extradition request is assessed by the judge in the United Arab Emirates,” said lawyers Robert Malewicz and Sophie Hof.
-
