Do Kwon Faces Tough Conditions In Montenegro Jail
Do Kwon, the founder of Terraform Labs, is currently being held in a Montenegro jail, awaiting possible indictment for alleged document forgery. Kwon was arrested attempting to board a private jet before his extradition to Singapore, South Korea, and the US, all of which have filed criminal charges against him. The legal battles surrounding the former fugitive are likely to be protracted, meaning he will have to get used to the conditions of Montenegro jails for some time to come.
A criminal defense lawyer in Montenegro told Protos that Do Kwon will soon be transferred to a detention area with only 8 square meters, about 10 people and no beds; and it will take at least a year to reach an extradition agreement, and the probability of extradition to South…
— Wu Blockchain (@WuBlockchain) March 30, 2023
Extradition Proceedings
According to a criminal defense lawyer in the country, conditions in Montenegro jails have not improved since a 2020 report by the US Department of State, which described overcrowding and aggressive treatment by staff. While the quarantine conditions are relatively comfortable, with shared rooms and adequate space, after ten days, detainees are moved to a general facility where the rooms are eight meters squared, overcrowded, and often without beds. Detainees can buy basic goods from the commissary and are allowed a 30-minute walk each day.
Extradition proceedings have begun but hopes of a speedy transfer to a country with better prison conditions are likely to be disappointed. The Justice Minister confirmed that extradition proceedings had commenced, but it will be up to the Montenegro courts to decide, taking into account factors such as the severity of the crime, location, and timing, as well as the order of requests from the countries seeking extradition. The criminal defense lawyer suggests that it could take at least a year before any agreements can be made.
GM! This is @isabelhunter and @curic_anna — we’re waiting for the Montenegrin Ministry of Justice #DoKwon press conference to start at 1pm CET. Local press reported this morning that South Korea has started extradition proceedings — follow this thread for live updates pic.twitter.com/zQyoyZ2u5v
— DL News (@DLNewsInfo) March 29, 2023
Kwon Denies Charges, Files Appeal
Kwon’s case will first be heard in Montenegrin court, and according to the prosecutor, an indictment is expected to be issued within a month. The Terraform Labs founder denies all charges and has already filed an appeal. However, if this fails, he will need to appeal to the higher court in Montenegro, which could take at least three to four months. Sentencing could be carried out in the meantime. If this appeal also fails, Kwon will only be able to appeal to the Supreme Court after serving one year of his sentence.
The criminal defense lawyer believes that, if found guilty, Kwon could face a prison sentence of six months to five years, and the extradition procedures could take at least four to five months. As a result, it appears that Kwon will have to get used to local prison conditions for the foreseeable future.
