Countries Without Extradition

Extradition, the lawful process by which a fugitive found outside a country's jurisdiction is surrendered to the country where the crime was committed. It's a critical tool in the modern justice system's fight against border-crossing crimes. This process is generally facilitated through extradition treaties, legal agreements between nations that provide for the surrender of individuals accused or convicted of certain offenses. While the reasons for not having an extradition treaty with a country may vary widely—from historical disputes and geopolitical considerations to differing legal systems—such nations unwittingly serve as sanctuaries for individuals attempting to evade justice.

• Despite being a global superpower, the US does not have extradition treaties with several nations, including ones with global influence such as China, Russia, and Saudi Arabia. Other notable nations without extradition agreement include Iran, and North Korea.
• Some regions have near-universal extradition agreements with the US, such as Western Europe, while others, like Central Asia (Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan) lack extradition relations.
• There is no geographical trend in the countries without an extradition treaty. They are dispersed across various continents and regions, implicating a variety of factors—historical, political, and legal—in the decision to form extradition treaties.
• Uniquely among Central American countries, only Belize has no extradition agreement with the United States.