News
- 03 February 2026, 16:58
- The Prosecutor General's Office of the Russian Federation
At the request of the Prosecutor General’s Office of the Russian Federation, the competent authorities of the Kingdom of Morocco are extraditing Dmitry Leonov for him to face criminal charges under Article 208, Part 2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (participation in an armed formation on the territory of a foreign state not provided for by the legislation of that state, for purposes contrary to the interests of the Russian Federation) and Article 205.5, Part 2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (participation in the activities of an organization recognized as terrorist in compliance with the legislation of the Russian Federation).
According to the investigation, in 2012, Leonov, while in the Syrian Arab Republic, participated in an illegal armed formation as a Sharia judge, resolving conflicts between rank-and-file members and the group’s leaders.
In the spring of 2015, the group joined the "Jabhat al-Nusra" terrorist organization, recognized as such by a decision of the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation, and the accused continued his illegal activities in its interests.
Leonov fled from law enforcement authorities, and therefore, on the instruction of the Prosecutor General's Office of Russia, he was placed on the international wanted list.
The request for his extradition was made following his apprehension on the territory of the Kingdom of Morocco.
Thanks to the established and effective cooperation between the Russian supervisory authority and the Ministry of Justice of Morocco, a positive decision on extradition was achieved.
He will be escorted to Moscow by officers of the Federal Penitentiary Service of Russia and the NCB Interpol of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia.
The Prosecutor General's Office
of the Russian Federation
The Prosecutor General's Office of the Russian Federation
03 February 2026, 16:58
At the request of the Russian side, Morocco is extraditing an individual accused of participating in a terrorist organization
At the request of the Prosecutor General’s Office of the Russian Federation, the competent authorities of the Kingdom of Morocco are extraditing Dmitry Leonov for him to face criminal charges under Article 208, Part 2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (participation in an armed formation on the territory of a foreign state not provided for by the legislation of that state, for purposes contrary to the interests of the Russian Federation) and Article 205.5, Part 2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (participation in the activities of an organization recognized as terrorist in compliance with the legislation of the Russian Federation).
According to the investigation, in 2012, Leonov, while in the Syrian Arab Republic, participated in an illegal armed formation as a Sharia judge, resolving conflicts between rank-and-file members and the group’s leaders.
In the spring of 2015, the group joined the "Jabhat al-Nusra" terrorist organization, recognized as such by a decision of the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation, and the accused continued his illegal activities in its interests.
Leonov fled from law enforcement authorities, and therefore, on the instruction of the Prosecutor General's Office of Russia, he was placed on the international wanted list.
The request for his extradition was made following his apprehension on the territory of the Kingdom of Morocco.
Thanks to the established and effective cooperation between the Russian supervisory authority and the Ministry of Justice of Morocco, a positive decision on extradition was achieved.
He will be escorted to Moscow by officers of the Federal Penitentiary Service of Russia and the NCB Interpol of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia.
