Extradition Crisis

The Extradition Crisis was an incident resulting from an abnormally high number of extradition requests submitted to a number of democracies by autocratic states between the 17th July and 19th August 2019; disproportionately affecting Lauchenoiria. The crisis had a number of effects, including tensions leading to the August 2019 Trade War, as well as reducing the Sanctarian presence in Lauchenoiria close to the Kerlian border.

Requests

Xiomeran Underground News

On the 17th July 2019, Xiomera submitted extradition requests for a number of journalists with the Xiomeran Underground News (XUN), a dissident media operation outlawed in Xiomera. These included requests sent to Laeral, Lauchenoiria and Zamastan, for a total of 11 Xiomeran citizens. XUN quickly responded, claiming they were not afraid of the threat of extradition. Zamastan did not immediately respond, but activists in the country had been calling for a response to Xiomeran media censorship for weeks.

Lauchenoiria, on the other hand, immediately rejected the request based on domestic laws prohibiting the extradition of individuals to countries using capital punishment. Laeral also rejected the request. After the rejections, Xiomeran Emperor Topilpopoca withdrew the requests, which had been issued by Secretary of Justice Cētlalhui - who was removed from his position due to the failure of the requests.

Ten days later, on the 30th July, Zamastan finally responded to the request, granting the journalists asylum and "exceptional migration status".

Jasmine Eddington

On the 21st July, Kerlile requested the extradition of convicted serial killer Jasmine Eddington from Lauchenoiria, after Eddington escaped from prison and crossed the border. Lauchenoiria automatically rejected the request, once again on the basis of the domestic ban on extradition to countries using capital punishment. Lauchenoirian Foreign Secretary Sandra Pavía was widely criticised for the rejection both domestically and by Sanctaria and Xiomera.

While Eddington was incarcerated in Lauchenoiria on immigration charges, Kerlile continued to urge Lauchenoiria to change their mind over the request. Families of Eddington's victims wrote to Lauchenoiria and Councillor Jennifer Hale called Prime Minister Josephine Alvarez (her legally-wedded wife), asking her to return Eddington.

The day after the letters and phone call, the Federal Parliament of Lauchenoiria debated and passed an amendment to Lauchenoirian extradition law, allowing for the extradition of individuals to countries actively using capital punishment if the individual is over 21, committed a violent crime, and Lauchenoiria receives assurances the individual will not be executed. The amendment allowed the President of Lauchenoiria, then Alex Marwick, to make an executive decision on extraditions in such circumstances. Four days later, Marwick indeed announced his intention to extradite Eddington, however she was permitted to appeal the decision.