Kenya’s High Court has upheld a decision to extradite former Wolesi Jirga member Abdul Zahir Qadir to the United States, the BBC reported on Thursday.
Qadir has been charged by US authorities in New York with drug trafficking and illegal possession of weapons. However, his lawyer and family have described the charges as politically motivated.
The allegations relate to the period between November 2024 and March 2025. It had previously been assumed the charges might be linked to the period of the US presence in Afghanistan, but it remains unclear whether the alleged offences took place inside or outside the country.
Milimani High Court Judge Alexander Muteti ruled that the lower court’s decision was lawful and upheld the order for Qadir’s extradition to the United States.
Qadir’s lawyers argued that there was no extradition treaty between Kenya and the United States and that the charges carried political implications.
However, the judge said the duty of states to cooperate under international law was central to implementing multilateral treaties and conventions.
He added that although no bilateral treaty exists between the two countries, extradition could proceed under generally accepted principles of international law.
Following the ruling, Qadir’s lawyer said they would challenge the decision in a higher court.
Qadir was arrested at a hotel in Nairobi in May 2025.
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