Bulgarian Court Denies Extradition of Ship Owner Linked to Beirut Blast
A Bulgarian court has denied a request from Lebanese authorities for the extradition of Igor Grechushkin, a Cypriot-Russian citizen and former owner of the ship associated with the catastrophic explosion that devastated the port of Beirut five years ago. The court's decision was based on the absence of adequate assurances from Lebanon that the death penalty would not be imposed on Grechushkin if convicted.
Grechushkin's attorney, Ekaterina Dimitrova, indicated that the ruling stemmed from Lebanon's failure to provide guarantees against the enforcement of a potential death sentence, as reported by the French Press Agency. The prosecution has seven days to appeal the decision to the Sofia Court of Appeals, where the outcome will be final. Grechushkin will remain in temporary detention until the appeal process concludes.
Grechushkin was arrested in September 2025 at Sofia Airport under an international arrest warrant issued by Lebanese authorities. He faces charges including transporting explosives to Beirut, committing an act of terrorism that resulted in numerous fatalities, and sabotaging machinery with the intent to sink a ship.
Ongoing local investigations into the August 4, 2020 disaster face numerous challenges. Initial findings determined that the explosion, one of the largest non-nuclear blasts in history, was triggered by a fire in a warehouse where large quantities of ammonium nitrate had been improperly stored for years. Investigators revealed that officials at various levels were aware of the risks but failed to take necessary precautions.
The explosion claimed over 220 lives and injured more than 6,500 individuals, causing extensive damage to the port and surrounding areas of Beirut. Many Lebanese citizens continue to seek a thorough investigation that would deliver justice for the victims and clarify the circumstances surrounding this tragic event.
