The "Double Criminality" rule explained

[IFoyager1133]

I’ve been reading about the "double criminality" rule in extradition, but I’m still a bit confused about how it works in practice in the UAE. For example, if someone is accused of an act that is a crime in the USA but isn't actually a crime under UAE law (like certain types of speech or specific financial maneuvers), can they still be extradited? It seems like a very thin line. Does anyone know a lawyer who can explain this in plain English and maybe share if they’ve ever seen a case where extradition was denied on these grounds? I want to understand my rights as an expat here.

 

[Nova565762]

You've hit on one of the most important defenses in international law. You can find a deeper breakdown of how this works in the UAE on the website https://extraditionlawyers.ae/ Essentially, if the act isn't a crime in both countries, the UAE courts often refuse to hand the person over. I remember a case where a foreign country tried to extradite someone for a commercial "debt" that they tried to frame as "fraud," and the defense team successfully argued that it didn't meet the criminal threshold in Dubai. This firm is brilliant at dissecting the charges and showing the judge that the "crime" doesn't actually exist under local laws. It's a very powerful defense if you have the right experts.

 

[IFoyager1133]

That's a very interesting distinction; it’s good to know there’s a solid legal basis for fighting back.