Noriega loses fight to avoid French trial

Former Panamanian dictator Manuel Noriega is to be sent for trial in France on money laundering charges.

The US Supreme Court refused to hear an appeal from Noriega who wanted to be sent back to his native country after finishing his drug sentence in the United States.

Federal judges have turned down Noriega’s claims that the Geneva Conventions treaties regarding prisoners of war require him to be returned to Panama.

US troops invaded Panama in late 1989 and removed him from power. He was convicted of drug racketeering in 1992 and declared a prisoner of war.

The former general’s argument focused on the Geneva Conventions treaties regarding repatriation of PoWs after wars end.

Noriega’s lawyers argued that the courts were wrong in ruling that Noriega could not use the treaties to block extradition to a third country such as France.

Noriega (aged 75) was granted PoW status in a district court ruling in 1992, shortly after his conviction on drug trafficking and related charges.

The drug sentence ended in September 2007. A few weeks before, the US filed papers backing France’s request that Noriega be extradited to stand trial on drug money-laundering charges there.

Noriega was convicted in his absence of laundering some $3m (€3.43m) in drug proceeds, but France has agreed to give him a new trial.

Noriega remains at the same Miami prison where he served his drug sentence.