United Kingdom Of Great Britain And Northern Ireland
Extradition
Treaty, protocol of signature and exchange of notes signed at London June 8,
1972;
Ratification advised by the Senate of the United States of America June 21,
1976;
Ratified by the President of the United States of America September 10, 1976;
Ratifications exchanged at Washington October 21, 1976;
Proclaimed by the President of the United States of America November 17, 1976;
Entered into force January 21, 1977.
With exchange of notes
Signed at Washington October 21, 1976.
BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
A PROCLAMATION
CONSIDERING THAT:
The Treaty on Extradition between the Government of the United States of
America and the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Northern Ireland, a Protocol of Signature, and an exchange of notes were signed
at London on June 8, 1972, the texts of which Treaty and related documents, are
hereto annexed;
The Senate of the United States of America by its resolution of June 21, 1976,
two-thirds of the Senators present concurring therein, gave its advice and consent
to ratification of the Treaty and the related documents;
The Treaty and the related documents were ratified by the President of the
United States of America on September 10, 1976, in pursuance of the advice and
consent of the Senate, and were duly ratified on the part of the United Kingdom of
Great Britain and Northern Ireland;
It is provided in Article XVI of the Treaty that the Treaty shall enter into force
three months after the date of the exchange of instruments of ratification;
The instruments of ratification of the Treaty were exchanged at Washington on
October 21, 1976; and accordingly the Treaty and the related documents enter
into force on January 21, 1977;
NOW, THEREFORE, I, Gerald R. Ford, President of the United States of
America, proclaim and make public the Treaty, Protocol of Signature, and the
exchange of notes, to the end that they shall be observed and fulfilled with good
faith on and after January 21, 1977, by the United States of America and by the
citizens of the United States of America and all other persons subject to the
jurisdiction thereof.
IN TESTIMONY WHEREOF, I have signed this proclamation and caused the
Seal of the United States of America to be affixed.
DONE at the city of Washington this seventeenth day of November in the year
of our Lord one thousand nine hundred seventy-six and of the Independence of
the United States of America the two hundred first.
GERALD R. FORD
[SEAL]
By the President:
HENRY A. KISSINGER
Secretary of State
EXTRADITION TREATY BETWEEN THE GOVERNMENT OF THE
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND
THE GOVERNMENT OF THE UNITED KINGDOM OF GREAT BRITAIN
AND NORTHERN IRELAND
The Government of the United States of America and the Government of the
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland;
Desiring to make provision for the reciprocal extradition of offenders;
Have agreed as follows:
ARTICLE I
Each Contracting Party undertakes to extradite to the other, in the circumstances
and subject to the conditions specified in this Treaty, any person found in its
territory who has been accused or convicted of any offense within Article III,
committed within the jurisdiction of the other Party.
ARTICLE II
(1) This Treaty shall apply:
(a) in relation to the United Kingdom: to Great Britain and Northern Ireland,
the Channel Islands, the Isle of Man, and any territory for the international
relations of which the United Kingdom is responsible and to which the Treaty
shall have been extended by agreement between the Contracting Parties
embodied in an Exchange of Notes; and
(b) to the United States of America;
and references to the territory of a Contracting Party shall be construed
accordingly.
(2) The application of this Treaty to any territory in respect of which extension
has been made in accordance with paragraph (1) of this Article may be terminated
by either Contracting Party giving six months’ written notice to the other through
the diplomatic channel.
ARTICLE III
(1) Extradition shall be granted for an act or omission the facts of which disclose
an offense within any of the descriptions listed in the Schedule annexed to this
Treaty, which is an integral part of the Treaty, or any other offense, if:
(a) the offense is punishable under the laws of both Parties by imprisonment
or other form of detention for more than one year or by the death penalty;
(b) the offense is extraditable under the relevant law, being the law of the
United Kingdom or other territory to which this Treaty applies by virtue of
sub-paragraph (1) (a) of Article II; and
(c) the offense constitutes a felony under the law of the United States of
America.
(2) Extradition shall also be granted for any attempt or conspiracy to commit an
offense within paragraph (1) of this Article if such attempt or conspiracy is one for
which extradition may be granted under the laws of both Parties and is punishable
under the laws of both Parties by imprisonment or other form of detention for
more than one year or by the death penalty.
(3) Extradition shall also be granted for the offense of impeding the arrest or
prosecution of a person who has committed an offense for which extradition may
be granted under this Article and which is punishable under the laws of both
Parties by imprisonment or other form of detention for a period of five years or
more.
(4) A person convicted of and sentenced for an offense shall not be extradited
therefor unless he was sentenced to imprisonment or other form of detention for a
period of four months or more or, subject to the provisions of Article IV, to the
death penalty.
ARTICLE IV
If the offense for which extradition is requested is punishable by death under the
relevant law of the requesting Party, but the relevant law of the requested Party
does not provide for the death penalty in a similar case, extradition may be refused
unless the requesting Party gives assurances satisfactory to the requested Party
that the death penalty will not be carried out.
ARTICLE V
(1) Extradition shall not be granted if:
(a) the person sought would, if proceeded against in the territory of the
requested Party for the offense for which his extradition is requested, be
entitled to be discharged on the grounds of a previous acquittal or conviction in
the territory of the requesting or requested Party or of a third State; or
(b) the prosecution for the offense for which extradition is requested has
become barred by lapse of time according to the law of the requesting or
requested Party; or
(c) (i) the offense for which extradition is requested is regarded by the
requested Party as one of a political character; or
(ii) the person sought proves that the request for his extradition has in
fact been made with a view to try or punish him for an offense of a political
character.
(2) Extradition may be refused on any other ground which is specified by the law
of the requested Party.
ARTICLE VI
If the person sought should be under examination or under punishment in the
territory of the requested Party for any other offense, his extradition shall be
deferred until the conclusion of the trial and the full execution of any punishment
awarded to him.
ARTICLE VII
(1) The request for extradition shall be made through the diplomatic channel,
except as otherwise provided in Article XV.
(2) The request shall be accompanied by:
(a) a description of the person sought, his nationality, if known, and any
other information which would help to establish his identity;
(b) a statement of the facts of the offense for which extradition is requested;
(c) the text, if any, of the law
(i) defining that offense;
(ii) prescribing the maximum punishment for that offense; and
(iii) imposing any time limit on the institution of proceedings for that
offense;
and
(d) (i) where the requesting Party is the United Kingdom, a statement of
the legal provisions which establish the extraditable character of the
offense for which extradition is requested under the relevant law, being the
law of the United Kingdom or other territory to which this Treaty applies
by virtue of sub-paragraph (1) (a) of Article II;
(ii) where the requesting Party is the United States of America, a
statement that the offense for which extradition is requested, constitutes a
felony under the law of the United States of America.
(3) If the request relates to an accused person, it must also be accompanied by a
warrant of arrest issued by a judge, magistrate or other competent authority in the
territory of the requesting Party and by such evidence as, according to the law of
the requested Party, would justify his committal for trial if the offense had been
committed in the territory of the requested Party, including evidence that the
person requested is the person to whom the warrant of arrest refers.
(4) If the request relates to a convicted person, it must be accompanied by a
certificate or the judgment of conviction imposed in the territory of the requesting
Party and by evidence that the person requested is the person to whom the
conviction refers and, if the person was sentenced, by evidence of the sentence
imposed and a statement showing to what extent the sentence has not been carried
out.
(5) The warrant of arrest, or the judicial document establishing the existence of
the conviction, and any deposition or statement or other evidence given on oath or
affirmed, or any certified copy thereof shall be received in evidence in any
proceedings for extradition:
(a) if it is authenticated in the case of a warrant by being signed, or in the
case of any other original document by being certified, by a judge, magistrate
or other competent authority of the requesting Party, or in the case of a copy
by being so certified to be a true copy of the original; and
(b) where the requesting Party is the United Kingdom, by being sealed with
the official seal of the appropriate Minister and certified by the principal
diplomatic or consular officer of the United States of America in the United
Kingdom; and where the requesting Party is the United States of America, by
being sealed with the official seal of the Department of State for the Secretary
of State; or
(c) if it is authenticated in such other manner as may be permitted by the law
of the requested Party.
ARTICLE VIII
(1) In urgent cases the person sought may, in accordance with the law of the
requested Party, be provisionally arrested on application through the diplomatic
channel by the competent authorities of the requesting Party. The application shall
contain an indication of intention to request the extradition of the person sought
and a statement of the existence of a warrant of arrest or a conviction against that
person, and, if available, a description of the person sought, and such further
information, if any, as would be necessary to justify the issue of a warrant of arrest
had the offense been committed, or the person sought been convicted, in the
territory of the requested Party.
(2) A person arrested upon such an application shall be set at liberty upon the
expiration of forty-five days from the date of his arrest if a request for his
extradition shall not have been received. This provision shall not prevent the
institution of further proceedings for the extradition of the person sought if a
request is subsequently received.
ARTICLE IX
(1) Extradition shall be granted only if the evidence be found sufficient according
to the law of the requested Party either to justify the committal for trial of the
person sought if the offense of which he is accused had been committed in the
territory of the requested Party or to prove that he is the identical person convicted
by the courts of the requesting Party.
(2) If the requested Party requires additional evidence or information to enable a
decision to be taken on the request for extradition, such evidence or information
shall be submitted within such time as that Party shall require.
ARTICLE X
If the extradition of a person is requested concurrently by one of the Contracting
Parties and by another State or States, either for the same offense or for different
offenses, the requested Party shall make its decision in so far as its law allows,
having regard to all the circumstances, including the provisions in this regard in any
Agreements in force between the requested Party and the requesting States, the
relative seriousness and place of commission of the offenses, the respective dates
of the requests, the nationality of the person sought and the possibility of
subsequent extradition to another State.
ARTICLE XI
(1) The requested Party shall promptly communicate to the requesting Party
through the diplomatic channel the decision on the request for extradition.
(2) If a warrant or order for the extradition of a person sought has been issued
by the competent authority and he is not removed from the territory of the
requested Party within such time as may be required under the law of that Party,
he may be set at liberty and the requested Party may subsequently refuse to
extradite him for the same offense.
ARTICLE XII
(1) A person extradited shall not be detained or proceeded against in the
territory of the requesting Party for any offense other than an extraditable offense
established by the facts in respect of which his extradition has been granted, or on
account of any other matters, nor be extradited by that Party to a third State-
(a) until after he has returned to the territory of the requested Party; or
(b) until the expiration of thirty days after he has been free to return to the
territory of the requested Party.
(2) The provisions of paragraph (1) of this Article shall not apply to offenses
committed, or matters arising, after the extradition.
ARTICLE XIII
When a request for extradition is granted, the requested Party shall, so far as its
law allows and subject to such conditions as it may impose having regard to the
rights of other claimants, furnish the requesting Party with all sums of money and
other articles-
(a) which may serve as proof of the offense to which the request relates; or
(b) which may have been acquired by the person sought as a result of the
offense and are in his possession.
ARTICLE XIV
(1) The requested Party shall make all necessary arrangements for and meet the
cost of the representation of the requesting Party in any proceedings arising out of
a request for extradition.
(2) Expenses relating to the transportation of a person sought shall be paid by
the requesting Party. No pecuniary claim arising out of the arrest, detention,
examination and surrender of a person sought under the provisions of this Treaty
shall be made by the requested Party against the requesting Party.
ARTICLE XV
A request on the part of the Government of the United States of America for the
extradition of an offender who is found in any of the territories to which this Treaty
has been extended in accordance with paragraph (1) of Article II may be made to
the Governor or other competent authority of that territory, who may take the
decision himself or refer the matter to the Government of the United Kingdom for
their decision.
ARTICLE XVI
(1) This Treaty shall be ratified, and the instruments of ratification shall be
exchanged at Washington as soon as possible. It shall come into force three
months after the date of the exchange of instruments of ratification. [FN1]
FN1. Jan. 21, 1977.
End of Footnote(s).
(2) This Treaty shall apply to any offense listed in the annexed Schedule
committed before or after this Treaty enters into force, provided that extradition
shall not be granted for an offense committed before this Treaty enters into force
which was not an offense under the laws of both Contracting Parties at the time of
its commission.
(3) On the entry into force of this Treaty the provisions of the Extradition Treaty
of December 22, 1931 [FN2] shall cease to have effect as between the United
Kingdom and the United States of America.
FN2. TS 849; 47 Stat. 2122.
End of Footnote(s).
(4) Either of the Contracting Parties may terminate this Treaty at any time by
giving notice to the other through the diplomatic channel. In that event the Treaty
shall cease to have effect six months after the receipt of the notice.
In witness whereof the undersigned, being duly authorized thereto by their
respective Governments, have signed this Treaty.
Done in duplicate at London in the English language this 8th day of June, 1972.
(Signature)
W. H. Annenberg
(Signature)
Anthony Kershaw
SCHEDULE
List of offenses referred to in Article III
1. Murder; attempt to murder, including assault with intent to murder.
2. Manslaughter.
3. Maliciously wounding or inflicting grievous bodily harm.
4. Unlawful throwing or application of any corrosive or injurious substance upon
the person of another.
5. Rape; unlawful sexual intercourse with a female; indecent assault.
6. Gross indecency or unlawful sexual acts with a child under the age of fourteen
years.
7. Procuring a woman or young person for immoral purposes; living on the
earnings of prostitution.
8. Unlawfully administering drugs or using instruments with intent to procure the
miscarriage of a woman.
9. Bigamy.
10. Kidnapping, abduction, false imprisonment.
11. Neglecting, ill-treating, abandoning, exposing or stealing a child.
12. An offense against the law relating to narcotic drugs, cannabis sativa L,
hallucinogenic drugs, cocaine and its derivatives, and other dangerous drugs.
13. Theft; larceny; embezzlement.
14. Robbery; assault with intent to rob.
15. Burglary or housebreaking or shopbreaking.
16. Receiving or otherwise handling any goods, money, valuable securities or
other property, knowing the same to have been stolen or unlawfully obtained.
17. Obtaining property, money or valuable securities by false pretenses or other
form of deception.
18. Blackmail or extortion.
19. False accounting.
20. Fraud or false statements by company directors and other officers.
21. An offense against the bankruptcy laws.
22. An offense relating to counterfeiting or forgery.
23. Bribery, including soliciting, offering or accepting bribes.
24. Perjury; subornation of perjury.
25. Arson.
26. Malicious damage to property.
27. Any malicious act done with intent to endanger the safety of persons
traveling or being upon a railway.
28. Piracy, involving ships or aircraft, according to international law.
29. Unlawful seizure of an aircraft.
PROTOCOL OF SIGNATURE
At the time of signing this day the Extradition Treaty between the Government of
the United States of America and the Government of the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Northern Ireland (hereinafter referred to as “the Treaty”), the
undersigned have agreed as follows:
(1) Article III of the Treaty shall permit the Government of the United States of
America to obtain the extradition of a person for an offense to which the Treaty
relates when United States Federal jurisdiction is based upon interstate transport
or transportation or the use of the mails or of interstate facilities, these aspects
being jurisdictional only.
(2) This Protocol of Signature shall form an integral part of the Treaty.
In witness whereof the undersigned, being duly authorized thereto by their
respective Governments, have signed this Protocol.
Done in duplicate at London in the English language this 8th day of June, 1972.
(Signature)
(Signature)
[EXCHANGES OF NOTES]
FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE LONDON S.W. 1
GNX 2/304/1
8 JUNE 1972
His Excellency
The Honourable
WALTER H ANNENBERG etc etc etc
Grosvenor Square London W1A 1AE
YOUR EXCELLENCY
I have the honour to refer to Article 16, paragraph (2), of the Extradition Treaty
between our two Governments signed today.
It is the understanding of the Government of the United Kingdom that, without
prior concurrence by both Governments, no application will be made for the
extradition of a person for an offence committed before the Treaty signed today
enters into force if extradition of such person for that offence, or any other offence,
has previously been denied because the offence was not included in the Extradition
Treaty between the United Kingdom and the United States, signed at London on
22 December, 1931.
I would appreciate receiving confirmation that the foregoing is also the
understanding of the Government of the United States.
I have the honour to be with the highest consideration
R. V. RICHARDSON
EMBASSY OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA LONDON
JUNE 8, 1972
EXCELLENCY:
I have the honor to acknowledge receipt of your note of June 8, 1972 which
reads as follows:
“I have the honour to refer to Article 16, paragraph (2), of the Extradition
Treaty between our two Governments signed today.
“It is the understanding of the Government of the United Kingdom that,
without prior concurrence by both Governments, no application will be made
for the extradition of a person for an offence committed before the Treaty
signed today enters into force if extradition of such person for that offence, or
any other offence, has previously been denied because the offence was not
included in the Extradition Treaty between the United Kingdom and the United
States, signed at London on 22 December, 1931.
“I would appreciate receiving confirmation that the foregoing is also the
understanding of the Government of the United States.”
I confirm that the foregoing is also the understanding of the Government of the
United States.
Accept, Excellency, the renewed assurances of my highest consideration.
WALTER ANNENBERG
THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR FOREIGN & COMMONWEALTH
AFFAIRS FOREIGN OFFICE London, S.W.1.
BRITISH EMBASSY, Washington, D.C.
21 OCTOBER 1976
SIR
I have the honour to refer to the Extradition Treaty between the Government of
the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the Government of
the United States of America signed at London on 8 June 1972. In accordance
with the provisions of paragraph (1) (a) of Article II I have the honour to propose
that, with effect from the date of entry into force of the Treaty, the application of
the Treaty shall extend to those territories listed in the Annex to this Note for the
international relations of which the United Kingdom is responsible.
If the foregoing proposal is acceptable to the Government of the United States
of America, I have the honour to propose that this Note, together with its Annex
and Your Excellency’s reply in that sense, shall constitute an Agreement between
the two Governments in this matter.
I avail myself of this opportunity to renew to you, Sir, the assurance of my
highest consideration.
PETER RAMSBOTHAM
HENRY A KISSINGER
Secretary of State of the United States of America Washington DC
ANNEX
Antigua
Belize
Bermuda
British Indian Ocean Territory
British Virgin Islands
Cayman Islands
Dominica
Falkland Islands and Dependencies
Gibraltar
Gilbert Islands
Hong Kong
Montserrat
Pitcairn, Henderson, Ducie and Oeno Islands
St Christopher, Nevis and Anguilla
St Helena and Dependencies
St Lucia
St Vincent
Solomon Islands
Sovereign Base Areas of Akrotiri and Dhekelia in the Island of Cyprus
Turks and Caicos Islands
Tuvalu
DEPARTMENT OF STATE WASHINGTON
OCTOBER 21, 1976
EXCELLENCY:
I have the honor to acknowledge receipt of your note of October 21, 1976,
which reads as follows:
“Sir
I have the honour to refer to the Extradition Treaty between the Government
of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the
Government of the United States of America signed at London on 8 June
1972. In accordance with the provisions of paragraph (1) (a) of Article II I
have the honour to propose that, with effect from the date of entry into force
of the Treaty, the application of the Treaty shall extend to those territories
listed in the Annex to this Note for the international relations of which the
United Kingdom is responsible.
If the foregoing proposal is acceptable to the Government of the United
States of America, I have the honour to propose that this Note, together with
its Annex and Your Excellency’s reply in that sense, shall constitute an
Agreement between the two Governments in this matter.
I avail myself of this opportunity to renew to you, Sir, the assurance of my
highest consideration.
ANNEX
Antigua
Belize
Bermuda
British Indian Ocean Territory
British Virgin Islands
Cayman Islands
Dominica
Falkland Islands and Dependencies
Gibraltar
Gilbert Islands
Hong Kong
Montserrat
Pitcairn, Henderson, Ducie and Oeno Islands
St Christopher, Nevis and Anguilla
St Helena and Dependencies
St Lucia
St Vincent
Solomon Islands
Sovereign Base Areas of Akrotiri and Dhekelia in the Island of Cyprus
Turks and Caicos Islands
Tuvalu”
I have the honor to inform Your Excellency that the foregoing is acceptable and
reflects correctly the understanding of the Government of the United States of
America, and that Your Excellency’s note and this note in reply concurring therein,
together with its Annex, constitute an agreement between our two Governments
concerning the Extradition Treaty between the Government of the United Kingdom
of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the Government of the United States of
America signed at London on 8 June 1972.
Accept, Excellency, the renewed assurances of my highest consideration.
CHARLES W ROBINSON
SIR PETER E. RAMSBOTHAM, G.C.V.O., K.C.M.G.,
British Ambassador
28 U.S.T. 227, 1977 WL 181653 (U.S. Treaty), T.I.A.S. No. 8468