Extradition Treaty between India and Belgium

News:Recently, the Union Cabinet has approved the signing and ratifying of the Extradition Treaty between India and Belgium.

Facts:

• Obligation to Extradite: Each Party agrees to extradite a person accused/convicted of an extraditable offence in the territory of the other Party.
• Extraditable Offences: an offence punishable under the laws of both the Parties with imprisonment for a period of one year or more.
• Grounds for Refusal Under the Treaty: a) The offence involved is a political offence b) The offence is a military offence and c) The request for prosecution has been made on account of his race, sex, religion, nationality or political opinion.
• Extradition of Nationals:Extradition of nationals is discretionary. The nationality will be determined at the time the offence was committed.

About Extradition:

• Extradition is the formal process of one state surrendering an individual to another state for prosecution or punishment for crimes committed in the requesting country’s jurisdiction.
• In India, the extradition is governed by the Extradition Act, 1962.