Kwon Do-hyung, who was also imprisoned, was transferred to a foreigner camp after release… Defense attorney objection

Kwon Do-hyung, a key figure in the ‘Terra Luna’ incident, was released from Spuz Prison on the outskirts of Podgorica, the capital of Montenegro, on the 23rd (local time) after completing his sentence.

However, Mr. Kwon was not free. After being released from prison, Mr. Kwon was investigated by the National Police Agency and then transferred to a foreigner detention center, where he waited for the Supreme Court’s final decision regarding repatriation to Korea.

According to Yonhap News and local daily B.J.S.T., after being released from Spuz Prison on this day, Mr. Kwon was escorted to the National Police Agency, where he was interrogated by foreign investigators. Armed police units were on tight guard around the police headquarters in preparation for any emergency.

Attorney Goran Rodic, Mr. Kwon’s local legal representative, told reporters, “The client (Kwon Do-hyung) should have stayed free after being released from prison today until being repatriated to Korea, but an illegal investigation was conducted at the National Police Agency from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.” He claimed, “It is because the court took action to take away the passport.”

The Podgorica High Court ordered the seizure of Mr. Kwon’s valid passport to prevent him from leaving the country after his release from prison. Mr. Kwon, who did not have a passport, was transferred to a foreigner detention center after being investigated by the National Police Agency. Attorney Rodich said, “Everything from the Supreme Prosecutor’s Office’s actions (request for legality determination) over the past two days to the Supreme Court’s quick action in response was illegal,” and added, “As a result of that illegal decision today, Kwon Do-hyung was placed in an alien detention center.”

When the appeals court confirmed Kwon’s repatriation to Korea on the 20th, the Montenegro Supreme Prosecutor’s Office objected and requested on the 21st that “the Supreme Court determine the legality and issue a ruling to change the court’s decision.”

The Supreme Court accepted the request the day before, just one day after receiving the Supreme Prosecutor’s Office’s request for a judgment on the legality, temporarily suspended Kwon’s repatriation to Korea and began reviewing the legal principles. Depending on the Supreme Court’s decision, there is a possibility that the existing decision will be overturned and that Mr. Kwon will be extradited to the United States rather than Korea. The Supreme Court did not disclose the deadline for its decision. Attorney Rodich said, “There are too many people involved in this case, and subjective claims and thoughts are mixed,” and “I can predict to some extent what will happen in the next few days, but I will watch the situation.” Unfortunately, this is the reality of the Montenegrin judiciary,” he said. He said he would appeal this to the administrative court. Mr. Kwon was arrested at Podgorica International Airport on March 23 last year while trying to board a private plane bound for Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE) while holding a fake Costa Rican passport.

He served four months in Spuz Prison for using a fake passport. He was also detained for eight months due to extradition proceedings.

Reporter Kim Ki-hwan [email protected]

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