HONDURAS
EXTRADITION
Treaty Series 569
1909 U.S.T. LEXIS 47; 8 Bevans 892
January 15, 1909, Date-Signed
July 10, 1912, Date-In-Force
STATUS:
[*1] Convention signed at Washington January 15, 1909
Senate advice and consent to ratification January 20, 1909
Ratified by the President of the United States March 1, 1909
Ratified by Honduras May 20, 1912
Ratifications exchanged at Washington July 10, 1912
Entered into force July 10, 1912
Proclaimed by the President of the United States July 10, 1912
Supplemented by convention of February 21, 1927 n1
n1 TS 761, post, p. 903.
[NO LONG-HONDURAS IN ORIGINAL]
TEXT:
The United States of America and the Republic of Honduras, being desirous to confirm their friendly relations and to promote the cause of justice, have resolved to conclude a treaty for the extradition of fugitives from justice between the United States of America and the Republic of Honduras, and have appointed for that purpose the following Plenipotentiaries:
The President of the United States of America, Elihu Root, Secretary of State of the United States; and
The President of the Republic of Honduras, Doctor Luis Lazo A., Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary of Honduras to the United States;
Who, after having communicated to each other their respective full powers, found in good and due form, have agreed upon and concluded [*2] the following articles:
ARTICLE I
It is agreed that the Government of the United States and the Government of Honduras shall, upon mutual requisition duly made as herein provided, deliver up to justice any person who may be charged with or may have been convicted of any of the crimes specified in Article II of this Convention committed within the jurisdiction of one of the Contracting Parties while said person was actually within such jurisdiction when the crime was committed, and who shall seek an asylum or shall be found within the territories of the other, provided that such surrender shall take place only upon such evidence of criminality as, according to the laws of the place where the fugitive or person so charged shall be found, would justify his apprehension and commitment for trial if the crime or offense had been there committed.
ARTICLE II
Persons shall be delivered up according to the provisions of this Convention, who shall have been charged with or convicted of any of the following crimes:
- Murder, comprehending the crimes designated by the terms of parricide, assassination, manslaughter, when voluntary; poisoning or infanticide.
- The attempt to commit murder.
- [*3] Rape, abortion, carnal knowledge of children under the age of twelve years.
- Bigamy.
- Arson.
- Willful and unlawful destruction or obstruction of railroads, which endangers human life.
- Crimes committed at sea:
- Piracy, as commonly known and defined by the law of nations, or by statute;
- Wrongfully sinking or destroying a vessel at sea or attempting to do so;
- Mutiny or conspiracy by two or more members of the crew or other persons on board of a vessel on the high seas, for the purpose of rebelling against the authority of the captain or commander of such vessel, or by fraud or violence taking possession of such vessel;
- Assault on board ships upon the high seas with intent to do bodily harm.
- Burglary, defined to be the act of breaking into and entering the house of another in the nighttime with intent to commit a felony therein.
- The act of breaking into and entering into the offices of the Government and public authorities, or the offices of banks, banking houses, saving banks, trust companies, insurance companies, or other buildings not dwellings with intent to commit a felony therein.
- Robbery, defined to be the act of feloniously and forcibly taking [*4] from the person of another, goods or money by violence or by putting him in fear.
- Forgery or the utterance of forged papers.
- The forgery or falsification of the official acts of the Government or public authority, including courts of justice, or the uttering or fraudulent use of the same.
- The fabrication of counterfeit money, whether coin or paper, counterfeit titles or coupons of public debt, created by national, state, provincial, territorial, local, or municipal governments, banknotes or other instruments of public credit, counterfeit seals, stamps, dies, and marks of state or public administrations, and the utterance, circulation, or fraudulent use of the above mentioned objects.
- Embezzlement or criminal malversation committed within the jurisdiction of one or the other party by public officers or depositaries, where the amount embezzled exceeds two hundred dollars (or Honduran equivalent).
- Embezzlement by any person or persons hired, salaried, or employed, to the detriment of their employers or principals, when the crime or offense is punishable by imprisonment or other corporal punishment by the laws of both countries, and where the amount embezzled exceeds [*5] two hundred dollars (or Honduran equivalent).
- Kidnapping of minors or adults, defined to be the abduction or detention of a person or persons, in order to exact money from them or their families, or for any other unlawful end.
- Larceny, defined to be the theft of effects, personal property, or money, of the value of twenty-five dollars or more.
- Obtaining money, valuable securities or other property by false pretenses or receiving any money, valuable securities or other property knowing the same to have been unlawfully obtained, where the amount of money or the value of the property so obtained or received exceeds two hundred dollars (or Honduran equivalent).
- Perjury or subornation of perjury.
- Fraud or breach of trust by a bailee, banker, agent, factor, trustee, executor, administrator, guardian, director, or officer of any company or corporation, or by any one in any fiduciary position, where the amount of money or the value of the property misappropriated exceeds two hundred dollars (or Honduran equivalent).
- The extradition is also to take place for participation in any of the aforesaid crimes as an accessory before or after the fact, provided such participation [*6] be punishable by imprisonment by the laws of both Contracting Parties. n2 – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – -Footnotes- – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
n2 For additions to list of crimes, see supplementary convention of Feb. 21, 1927 (TS 761), post, p. 903.
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – -End Footnotes- – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
ARTICLE III
The provisions of this Convention shall not import claim of extradition for any crime or offense of a political character, nor for acts connected with such crimes or offenses; and no person surrendered by or to either of the Contracting Parties in virtue of this Convention shall be tried or punished for a political crime or offense. When the offense charged comprises the act either of murder or assassination or of poisoning, either consummated or attempted, the fact that the offense was committed or attempted against the life of the sovereign or head of a foreign state or against the life of any member of his family, shall not be deemed sufficient to sustain that such a crime or offense was of a political character, or was an act connected with crimes or offenses of a political character.
ARTICLE IV
No person shall be tried [*7] for any crime or offense other than that for which he was surrendered.
ARTICLE V
A fugitive criminal shall not be surrendered under the provisions hereof, when, from lapse of time or other lawful cause, according to the laws of the place within the jurisdiction of which the crime was committed, the criminal is exempt from prosecution or punishment for the offense for which the surrender is asked.
ARTICLE VI
If a fugitive criminal whose surrender may be claimed pursuant to the stipulations hereof, be actually under prosecution, out on bail or in custody, for a crime or offense committed in the country where he has sought asylum, or shall have been convicted thereof, his extradition may be deferred until such proceedings be determined, and until he shall have been set at liberty in due course of law.
ARTICLE VII
If a fugitive criminal claimed by one of the parties hereto shall be also claimed by one or more powers pursuant to treaty provisions, on account of crimes committed within their jurisdiction, such criminal shall be delivered to that state whose demand is first received.
ARTICLE VIII
Under the stipulations of this Convention, neither of the Contracting Parties shall be bound [*8] to deliver up its own citizens.
ARTICLE IX
The expense of the arrest, detention, examination, and transportation of the accused shall be paid by the Government which has preferred the demand for extradition.
ARTICLE X
Everything found in the possession of the fugitive criminal at the time of his arrest, whether being the proceeds of the crime or offense, or which may be material as evidence in making proof of the crime, shall, so far as practicable, according to the laws of either of the Contracting Parties, be delivered up with his person at the time of the surrender. Nevertheless, the rights of a third party with regard to the articles aforesaid shall be duly respected.
ARTICLE XI
The stipulations of this Convention shall be applicable to all territory wherever situated, belonging to either of the Contracting Parties or in the occupancy and under the control of either of them, during such occupancy or control.
Requisitions for the surrender of fugitives from justice shall be made by the respective diplomatic agents of the Contracting Parties. In the event of the absence of such agents from the country or its seat of government, or where extradition is sought from territory included [*9] in the preceding paragraph other than the United States, requisition may be made by superior consular officers.
It shall be competent for such diplomatic or superior consular officers to ask and obtain a mandate or preliminary warrant of arrest for the person whose surrender is sought, whereupon the judges and magistrates of the two Governments shall respectively have power and authority, upon complaint made under oath, to issue a warrant for the apprehension of the person charged, in order that he or she may be brought before such judge or magistrate, that the evidence of criminality may be heard and considered; and if, on such hearing, the evidence be deemed sufficient to sustain the charge, it shall be the duty of the examining judge or magistrate to certify the same to the proper executive authority, that a warrant may issue for the surrender of the fugitive.
If the fugitive criminal shall have been convicted of the crime for which his surrender is asked, a copy of the sentence of the court before which such conviction took place, duly authenticated, shall be produced. If, however, the fugitive is merely charged with crime, a duly authenticated copy of the warrant of arrest in [*10] the country where the crime was committed, and of the depositions upon which such warrant may have been issued, shall be produced, with such other evidence or proof as may be deemed competent in the case.
ARTICLE XII
If when a person accused shall have been arrested in virtue of the mandate or preliminary warrant of arrest, issued by the competent authority as provided in Article XI hereof, and been brought before a judge or a magistrate to the end that the evidence of his or her guilt may be heard and examined as hereinbefore provided, it shall appear that the mandate or preliminary warrant of arrest has been issued in pursuance of a request or declaration received by telegraph from the Government asking for the extradition, it shall be competent for the judge or magistrate at his discretion to hold the accused for a period not exceeding two months, so that the demanding Government may have opportunity to lay before such judge or magistrate legal evidence of the guilt of the accused, and if at the expiration of said period of two months such legal evidence shall not have been produced before such judge or magistrate, the person arrested shall be released, provided that the examination [*11] of the charges preferred against such accused person shall not be actually going on.
ARTICLE XIII
In every case of a request made by either of the two Contracting Parties for the arrest, detention, or extradition of fugitive criminals, the legal officers or fiscal ministry of the country where the proceedings of extradition are had, shall assist the officers of the Government demanding the extradition before the respective judges and magistrates, by every legal means within their or its power; and no claim whatever for compensation for any of the services so rendered shall be made against the Government demanding the extradition, provided, however, that any officer or officers of the surrendering Government so giving assistance who shall, in the usual course of their duty, receive no salary or compensation other than specific fees for services performed, shall be entitled to receive from the Government demanding the extradition the customary fees for the acts or services performed by them, in the same manner and to the same amount as though such acts or services had been performed in ordinary criminal proceedings under the laws of the country of which they are officers.
ARTICLE XIV [*12]
This Convention shall take effect from the day of the exchange of the ratifications thereof; but either Contracting Party may at any time terminate the same on giving to the other six months’ notice of its intention to do so.
The ratifications of the present Convention shall be exchanged at Washington as soon as possible.
In witness whereof the respective Plenipotentiaries have signed the above articles, and have hereunto affixed their seals.
Done in duplicate, at the city of Washington, this 15th day of January, one thousand nine hundred and nine.
SIGNATORIES:
ELIHU ROOT
[SEAL]
LUIS LAZO A.
[SEAL]