Al Jazeera: Palestinian Evades Extradition in Sofia Embassy

A 52-year-old former political prisoner facing extradition from Bulgaria but refusing to turn himself in is still staying at the Palestinian Authority's embassy, Al Jazeera reports.

Born in the occupied West Bank city of Jenin, Zayed was convicted and sentenced by an Israeli court to life in prison in 1986 for the killing of a Israeli yeshiva student in occupied  East Jerusalem, Al Jazeera says.

After escaping in 1990, he spend several years living in various countries before moving to Bulgaria in 1994 and being granted residency there. His wife and three children have Bulgarian citizenship.

The Palestinian Authority's Ambassador to Bulgaria, Ahmad Madbouh, is quoted as telling Zayed on December 28 he had 24 hours to leave the embassy, but the latter has not yet been forced out.

Although the consulate does not intend to comply with the extradition order, activists fear it might hand him over to the Bulgarian authorities who are reportedly intend to do it, having taken briefly his son to police in mid-December after not finding Zayed himself at his home.

Al Jazeera also informs that Sofia's plans have drawn criticism from some European politicians, against the backdrop of tensions in EU-Israel relations.

In December, Bulgarian daily 24 Chasa reported that the Arab community in Bulgaria is preparing for demonstrations in case authorities here comply with the extradition request.

You can read the full report here.

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