Refugee Exclusion and Extradition in the Netherlands: Rwanda as Precedent?

Extradition of individuals excluded underArticle 1(F) of the Refugee Convention has recently emerged as an attractive alternative to prosecution on the basis of universal jurisdiction. The government of the Netherlands aims to support measures to strengthen judicial systems abroad in order to facilitate the extradition of international crimes suspects. An analysis of measures enabling extradition of alleged génocidaires from European states to Rwanda, however, indicates a similar process is unlikely to occur regarding the remaining population of Article 1(F) excluded individuals residing in the Netherlands. Most countries of origin lack the political will and capacity to locate and domestically prosecute such alleged perpetrators. If extradition requests are submitted, challenges with regard to extradition law and human rights requirements remain.