Leonard Homeniuk

Bulgaria won't extradite the dual U.S./Canadian citizen Leonard Homeniuk to Kyrgyzstan, a Bulgarian court has decided.

The District Court in the Danube city of Vidin on Wednesday denied a request of the Kyrgyz authorities to extradite the retired geologist on charges of corruption, citing the lack of an extradition treaty between Bulgaria and Kyrgyzstan.

Leonard Homeniuk, the dual U.S./Canadian citizen facing a court hearing in Bulgaria on his possible extradition to Kyrgyzstan, says that once his current predicament is over, he and his wife plan to work with London-based Fair Trials or other NGOs to try and reform Interpol, The Globe and Mail has reported.

A Bulgarian court has postponed for a second time the hearing on a request for the extradition of Leonard Homeniuk submitted by the Kyrgyz authorities due to insufficient documentation they had provided.

Novinite.com has approached Marina Stephens, wife of Leonard Homeniuk, for an interview focused on his legal battle against a potential extradition to Kyrgyzstan.

Sofia Appeals Court has decided that Leonard Homeniuk, a dual Canadian and United States citizen detained in Bulgaria, should remain under house arrest while awaiting a court hearing on an extradition request submitted by the Kyrgyz authorities.

Toronto-based mining company Centerra Gold has said it has been made aware that its former President and CEO Leonard Homeniuk has been detained by the Bulgarian authorities, "apparently at the request of Kyrgyz Republic authorities".