On The Principle Of Non-extradition Of Political Offenders

With the changing of the international relations, the extradition system is facing many new problems that influence how to carry out it normally. Particularly, the principle of non-extradition of political offenders in the extradition system is applied on the basis of ideologies and political prejudices. Thus, all state judicial organs take a certain legal theory as a basis to apply the principle, but the decisive problem has still not be resolved. Moreover, terror activities are the most important challenge the international society faces currently, which endanger the whole benefits of the international society seriously. Controlling the international terrorism needs cooperation among all countries. All countries undertake not to shelter terrorists. However, the political benefits pursued by all countries are not the same, and the measures to tackle terrorism are also inconsistent with each other. So the international customary rules of exempting terrorism completely from the concept of the political crimes do not exist. This paper tries to define political crime on the basis of the content and classification of the principle of non-extradition of political offenders. Besides, this paper presents the significance of the principle of non-extradition of political offenders in the extradition system and analyzes the defects of this principle. This paper also prospects the historical destiny of this principle, and puts forward some perfecting measure to strengthen international cooperation and to support common benefits of international society.