Audiencia Nacional · Madrid · Europol · Interpol
Extradition proceedings in Spain move fast. European Arrest Warrants can be resolved in 40 to 60 days. If you or a family member is facing surrender, act now.
Facing an extradition request in Spain is one of the most urgent legal situations a person can encounter. Whether you have been arrested on a European Arrest Warrant, flagged through an Interpol Red Notice or targeted by a bilateral extradition treaty, the clock starts running from the moment of detention. The decisions made in the first hours will shape the entire outcome of your case.
At Sanahuja Abogados Penalistas, led by attorney Juan Antonio Signes García, we defend clients facing extradition and international surrender proceedings before the Audiencia Nacional in Madrid. Our firm focuses exclusively on criminal law, and extradition defence is one of our core practice areas. We combine deep knowledge of Spanish criminal procedure with expertise in EU mutual recognition instruments, international treaties and human rights law.
Why Choose Sanahuja for Extradition Defence
Extradition cases require a very specific combination of skills: criminal law expertise, international law knowledge, speed of response and the ability to coordinate with lawyers in other jurisdictions. Most general-practice firms cannot offer this.
Exclusive criminal law focus. We do not divide our attention between practice areas. Criminal defence, including extradition proceedings, is all we do.
Representation before the Audiencia Nacional. When another country asks Spain to surrender a person, whether under a European Arrest Warrant or an extradition request, the case is handled by the Audiencia Nacional in Madrid. Warrants issued by Spanish judges are a different matter. We have direct experience before its Criminal Chamber.
Members of ECBA and EFCL. Our membership in the European Criminal Bar Association and European Fraud & Compliance Lawyers gives us a network of criminal defence lawyers across Europe for coordinated cross-border defence.
English-speaking legal team. Direct communication with your lawyer in English, from the first phone call to the final hearing.
24/7 emergency response. Extradition arrests happen without warning. We respond immediately: 616 869 785.
Types of Extradition Cases We Handle
We defend clients in every type of international surrender proceeding recognised under Spanish law and EU instruments.
European Arrest Warrant (EAW)
Fast-track surrender between EU Member States. We challenge EAWs on grounds of proportionality, double jeopardy, human rights and procedural defects.
Interpol Red Notice
International wanted persons alerts. We challenge Red Notices before INTERPOL’s Commission for the Control of Files (CCF) and defend against arrest in Spain.
UK Extradition (Post-Brexit)
Since Brexit, UK-Spain surrenders operate under the Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA). Different rules, different deadlines, different defence strategies. If you already have a solicitor or barrister in the UK, they can work alongside your Spanish lawyer.
US Extradition Treaty
Bilateral extradition between Spain and the United States. We challenge requests on grounds of dual criminality, political offence exception and treaty requirements.
Latin American Extraditions
Spain has bilateral treaties with Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Mexico, Venezuela and others. Each treaty has specific requirements that can be used in your defence.
Europol and International Police Cooperation Cases
Cross-border investigations coordinated by Europol. We defend clients targeted by Joint Investigation Teams (JITs) and European Investigation Orders.
How Extradition Works in Spain
Understanding the procedure is essential for building an effective defence. The process differs depending on whether the request comes from an EU Member State (European Arrest Warrant) or a non-EU country (passive extradition under the 1985 Law).
European Arrest Warrant (EU countries)
When Spanish police arrest you on an EAW, you must be brought before a judge at the Juzgado Central de Instrucción (Central Investigating Court) at the Audiencia Nacional in Madrid within 72 hours. At this hearing, you are informed of the warrant and asked whether you consent to surrender. If you do not consent, the decision on surrender lies with the Central Investigating Judge of the Audiencia Nacional, and a final decision must be taken within 60 days of the arrest, extendable by a further 30 days (Law 23/2014, articles 35, 50 and 54). Your defence lawyer can argue grounds for refusal, including violations of fundamental rights, double jeopardy (non bis in idem), lack of dual criminality and disproportionality.
Passive extradition (non-EU countries)
Extradition requests from countries outside the EU are governed by the Spanish Passive Extradition Law of 1985 and the applicable bilateral treaty. The procedure is longer and involves more stages, including a review by the Spanish Government. Your lawyer can challenge the request on grounds specific to the treaty, such as the political offence exception, the nationality of the requested person or the risk of torture or inhuman treatment in the requesting state.
Interpol Red Notice cases
A Red Notice does not, by itself, constitute an international arrest warrant. It is a request to locate and provisionally detain a person pending an extradition request, and each country decides under its own law what effect to give it. If a provisional arrest is carried out in Spain under article 8 of the Extradition Act (Law 4/1985), the person must be brought before the duty Central Investigating Court within 24 hours. Your lawyer can challenge the validity of the Red Notice, argue that it has been issued for political purposes or request its deletion through INTERPOL’s Commission for the Control of Files.
Grounds for Refusing Extradition in Spain
Spanish law and EU instruments provide several grounds on which extradition or surrender can be refused. An experienced extradition lawyer will identify which grounds apply to your specific case.
Fundamental rights risk. If there is a real risk that you will be subjected to torture, inhuman or degrading treatment, or that your right to a fair trial will be violated in the requesting state.
Double jeopardy (non bis in idem). If you have already been tried or acquitted for the same offence in Spain or another EU Member State.
Lack of dual criminality. If the offence is not recognised as a crime under Spanish law (applicable for offences outside the EAW list of 32 categories).
Nationality and residence. If you are a Spanish national or a long-term resident with strong ties to Spain, the court may refuse surrender and arrange for the sentence to be served in Spain instead.
Disproportionality. If the offence is minor and the surrender would be disproportionate to the consequences for the requested person.
Procedural defects. Missing information, formal errors in the warrant or failure to meet treaty requirements can be grounds for challenge.
Political offence exception. In non-EU extraditions, requests based on political offences can be refused.
Arrested in Valencia or Madrid on an Extradition Warrant?
If you are arrested in Valencia or anywhere else in Spain on an extradition warrant, the case is dealt with by the Audiencia Nacional in Madrid. We act before the Audiencia Nacional and can assist you and your family from the moment of detention.
If you or a family member has been arrested in Spain on an extradition request or a European Arrest Warrant, follow these steps:
1. Do not consent to surrender without speaking to a specialised extradition lawyer first. Once you consent, the process is virtually irreversible.
2. Request a lawyer immediately. You have the right to choose your own attorney. The public defender assigned to you may not have extradition experience. Call us: 616 869 785.
3. Exercise your right to remain silent. Do not make any statements to the police or the judge without your lawyer present.
4. Contact your consulate. You have the right to inform your country’s consular office of your detention.
5. Act fast. EAW proceedings must be resolved within 60 days. Bilateral extraditions have their own deadlines. Every day without legal representation is a day lost for your defence.
Our Extradition Defence Team
Juan Antonio Signes García leads Sanahuja Abogados Penalistas’ extradition defence practice (Member of the Valencia Bar Association, ICAV). With over 20 years exclusively in criminal defence, he has represented clients in extradition and EAW proceedings before the Audiencia Nacional, including cases involving financial crime, drug trafficking and organised crime charges from multiple jurisdictions.
He is supported by María Fayos, who coordinates documentary and forensic evidence analysis in cross-border cases, and prepares evidentiary timelines and procedural challenges for hearings before the Criminal Chamber of the Audiencia Nacional.
As members of the European Criminal Bar Association (ECBA) and European Fraud & Compliance Lawyers (EFCL), we collaborate with criminal defence lawyers across Europe for coordinated defence strategies when your case involves multiple jurisdictions.
Our firm also provides full criminal defence services in Spain for clients whose extradition case is connected to ongoing criminal proceedings in Spanish courts.
Extradition Lawyer in Spain: Immediate Defence 24/7
Extradition proceedings move fast. If you or a family member has been arrested, the real margin is gained by acting today.