Rexhino Abazaj faces French court ruling on German extradition

Rexhino “Gino” Abazaj, an Albanian national raised in Italy and an anti-fascist activist, is at the center of a complex legal dispute involving France, Germany, Hungary, and Italy. The French Court of Cassation is set to review his appeal against a decision to extradite him to German authorities.

Abazaj is suspected of involvement in violent clashes in Budapest in February 2023 during an event involving far-right militants. While Hungary has previously sought his extradition, French justice refused to transfer him to Hungary in April 2025 due to concerns regarding detention conditions and fair trial guarantees. However, Germany has since issued a new European warrant, and the Paris Court of Appeal ruled in August 2026 that he should be extradited to Germany to face charges related to the same 2023 events.

His legal team, led by Youri Krassoulia, argues that extradition to Germany could lead to a subsequent request for his transfer to Hungary. Abazaj faces a potential sentence of up to 10 years in Germany. Supporters have highlighted his case as an example of the challenges faced by non-citizen residents in Europe, noting his history of political activism.