International arrest warrant for Beny Steinmetz rejected by Greece and Italy on human rights grounds; businessman appeals guilty verdict
Franco-Israeli mining tycoon Beny Steinmetz was arrested in Cyprus on an arrest warrant issued by Romania for a corruption conviction.
Steinmetz was detained on arrival at Larnaca airport last Thursday.
The following day, a court extended his detention and refused to release him with restrictions, Ynet reported on Sunday.
Israel’s Foreign Ministry is aware of the situation, according to Hebrew-language media reports.
Romania convicted Steinmetz in absentia of real estate fraud and sentenced him to five years in prison in December 2020.
The Romanians then issued a European arrest warrant for the businessman. In March 2022, Greece rejected the arrest warrant. Italy has also previously refused to execute the warrant.
It was clear to Interpol authorities that the case against Steinmetz was “politically motivated”, the statement said, adding that he was “sure that justice will prevail in Cyprus as well”.
Steinmetz has appealed his conviction to the European Court of Human Rights.
The Romanian case concerns a property project in which Steinmetz was involved between 2006 and 2008.
After the fall of the communist regime in Romania in 1989, the government allowed the restitution of private land to those who had lost it in the 1940s when the communists took over. Steinmetz was a partner and adviser to a body that held shares in a company that bought the rights to land owned by a Romanian royal prince. This company was eventually accused of fraud.
In addition to the Romanian conviction, in 2021 Steinmetz was convicted of bribery in another corruption case involving mining rights in Guinea and sentenced to three years, half of which was to be served in prison.
An appeal against this conviction was rejected earlier this year. Steinmetz is planning a further appeal to the country’s highest court.
Steinmetz, who lives in Israel, will not serve any jail time until the appeals process is exhausted.
Agencies contributed to this report.
