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Extradition review published

An independent review team charged with reviewing the UK’s extradition laws has today made its recommendations to the government.

This was published under the 2010 to 2015 Conservative and Liberal Democrat coalition government

The arrangements - known as extradition - allow countries to make formal requests to each other for the return of suspects to stand trial for a crime in the same country it was committed.

The review was announced by the Home Secretary in September last year to make sure that the UK’s extradition arrangements work efficiently and fairly.

The panel is made up of three independent lawyers - Rt Hon Sir Scott Baker, a former Court of Appeal judge, David Perry QC and Anand Doobay.

The year-long review has looked in detail at the following five areas:

  • the Home Secretary’s discretionary powers to stop extradition
  • the operation of the European Arrest Warrant, which deals with extradition requests between European countries
  • where a crime is mainly committed in the UK, whether the person should be tried here
  • whether the US-UK Extradition Treaty is unbalanced
  • whether requesting countries should be required to provide sufficient evidence to prove an allegation

Responding to the report, the Home Secretary, Theresa May, said: ‘I am very grateful to Sir Scott Baker, Anand Doobay and David Perry for the work they have undertaken on this review. I will consider their recommendations carefully.’

Read the full report here

Published 18 October 2011