European Arrest Warrant for a father who rescued his daughters

Adobe Stock

Sweden issued a European Arrest Warrant for a Russian who wanted to protect his daughters and went with them to Poland. The children were placed in Muslim foster care. The family found shelter in Poland, where they applied for asylum.

The three girls were taken away from their family home by the Swedish authorities because of their mother’s health problems. The children were placed in foster care provided by Muslims, which violated their right to education in their own culture and religion. Denis Lisov decided to take his daughters and go with them to Russia via Poland. In Warsaw, people sent by the Swedish social services tried to take the children away from their father, which was prevented by the Police and Border Guard. The Warsaw court decided that the family could stay in Poland and apply for full legal protection.

Sweden’s issuance of the European Arrest Warrant means that Polish law enforcement authorities are forced to initiate and carry out search operations against Denis Lisov. The whereabouts of the man and his three daughters are kept top secret. If the Russian was arrested, the Regional Prosecutor’s Office might apply to the common court for his detention on remand. If the request is granted, the Russian’s daughters would be transferred to foster care. The possible rendition of Denis Lisow to Sweden would be decided by a Polish court.

‘The issuance of the European Arrest Warrant by the Swedish authorities shows that they treat Denis Lisov as a criminal who fled Sweden. The Polish court’s protection of the Russian and his children did not prevent further repression of the father. Apparently, Sweden consistently seeks to separate the family. I firmly believe that the Polish law enforcement authorities will see a threat to the fundamental rights and freedoms of the Lisow family members in Sweden. This should result in a refusal to render the man and to take radical action against him,’ said the Russian’s Counsel Dr. Bartosz Lewandowski, Esq., Director of the Ordo Iuris Process Intervention Centre.

‘We expected Sweden to issue a European Arrest Warrant against Denis Lisov. The girls are currently under the constant care of their dad and I cannot imagine a situation in which the family would be separated in Poland. This would be contrary to the welfare of children and would violate the fundamental rights of the whole family. Denis Lisow believes that the Polish Prosecutor’s Office and the Police will support him, because in our country he has met with great kindness and understanding,’ added the other of the man’s counsels, Attorney-at-Law Babken Khanzadyan.

As adds the President of the Ordo Iuris Institute, Counsel Jerzy Kwaśniewski, Esq., ‘We hope that the Polish services will interrogate Denis Lisov when he is released. This family has already suffered a lot in Sweden and is now being prosecuted as the perpetrators of the most serious crimes. It is clear that family life, which is protected by international standards, does not matter to the Swedish authorities. This threat to the human rights may be a reason for blocking the possibility of Denis Lisov’s rendition, but it will be decided by a Polish court in a special procedure.’