Serbian criminal Srđan Jezdimir is again making headlines in Ecuador after refusing extradition to Austria, where he is wanted for attempted murder. A new legal process will determine whether the convicted drug trafficker can be transferred abroad. Jezdimir is notorious for courtroom disruptions; one judge previously relocated from Ecuador after receiving death threats from him.
The acting president of Ecuador’s National Court, Marko Rodrigez, accepted Austria’s extradition request, related to the March 2020 attempted murder in Vienna. Jezdimir participated in Thursday’s hearing via video call from El Enkuento prison in Santa Elena and stated he refuses extradition. A new procedure will now examine Austria’s request.
Judge Rodrigez clarified that Jezdimir will only be extradited after serving his sentence in Ecuador, including a 10-year prison term for money laundering, and that Austria has provided assurances that he will not face cruel or inhumane treatment.
Austria’s request relates to the November 2023 attempted murder of Dejan Kašćelan Komarac, allegedly orchestrated by Jezdimir with accomplices from Colombia for the Škaljari clan. Investigations relied on Sky communications analysis, Europol data, and international cooperation.
Jezdimir’s court behavior has provoked extreme reactions: during one online session, he gestured a throat-slitting threat, forcing temporary police protection for a judge. One judge, Serano, eventually resigned and left Ecuador due to fear for his life, highlighting the dangerous influence of Jezdimir in the Ecuadorian judiciary.
This case underscores the challenges in prosecuting transnational organized crime and the pressures placed on judicial systems when facing violent offenders.
