Concept of Recognition, Nationality and Extradition Under International Law
Concept of Recognition, Nationality and Extradition Under International Law
International Law
In the sphere of international law, many concepts are used such as recognition of states and
governments, nationality, refugees and internally displaced people, immigrant, extradition and
asylum. All these concepts play a prominent role in day to day functioning of international law.
States on the basis of independence can be categorized into two types i.e. sovereign or subject
to external sovereignty or hegemony. According to International Law, a State is typically defined
as being based on the 1933 Montevideo Convention. According to Article 1 of the convention,
the State as a person of international law should possess the following qualifications:
1. Permanent population
2. Defined territory
3. Government
4. Capacity to enter into relations with the other States.
Government
Government can be defined as a system where group of people govern a community or unit,
with their consent. Major task of Government is to administer and set public policies for the
welfare of the people. There are myriad institutions through which government try to establish
rule of order to ensure good governance for the common people. There are different variants
of Government such as democracy, republic etc.
Recognition
At global level, when new State and government are formed, they need recognition from other
sovereign States which will facilitate or allow them to form diplomatic relations with each other.
For example:
Taiwan is still not recognised by the large number of countries, as a result, it does not have full-
fledged relations with other nations. A Sovereign State cannot recognize any nation on its
whims and fancies but there are some essential features of State and government, which are
interpreted according to the internal law. In international law, States are considered as the
principal person. The recognition of state is often a political act of a State.
Important thing to note here is that recognition of government is not similar with the
recognition of the State. A State is recognised on the basis of mandatory attributes. Once the
status of State is recognised, it can't be changed randomly. However, recognition of
government can be changed even though recognition of the State continues.
3. After recognition, a State can sue in the courts of the recognised States.
Theories of Recognition
Recognition is a multidimensional topic, there are two type, of theories of recognition, which are
as follows:
Constitutive Theory
Hegel is claimed as a pioneer of this theory and others who supported and propounded it were
Anzilotti, Holland and Oppenheim. According to this theory, recognition is defined as a process
whereby a State is constituted, therefore, it is referred to as a constitutive theory. It helps State
in acquiring international personality by becoming a member of family of nations.
Views of chief exponents regarding recognition are as follows:
According to Anzilotti:
since the rules of international law have grown up by the common consent of the States, a
subject of international law comes into being with the conclusion of the first agreement as
expressed by the treaty of recognition. Such recognition is reciprocal and constitutive, creating
rights and obligations which did not exist before.
According to Holland:
a State cannot be said to have attained maturity unless it is stamped with the seal of
recognition, which is indispensable to the full enjoyment of rights which it connotes.
According to Oppenheim:
a State is and becomes an international person through recognition only and exclusively.
According to this theory, recognition gives the rights and duties to recognised States under the
international law.
According to Brierly:
the granting of recognition to a new State is not a constitutive but a declaratory act. It does not
bring into legal existence a State which did not exist before. A state may exist without being
recognised, and if it does exist in fact then, whether or not it has been formally recognised by
other states, it has a right to be treated by them as a State.
Modes of Recognition
De Facto Recognition
This type of recognition is temporary in nature which can either be conditional or non-
conditional. This recognition is granted by a nation to other when a State or government has
not acquired sufficient stability. It is provisional recognition of the State. To get de facto
recognition, State or government much possess following attributes
1. Permanence
2. Trust of people in government and state
3. Fulfilling international obligations
De facto recognition is usually followed by de jure recognition when the recognising State
accepts that the effective control exerted by the government in question is permanent and
firmly established.
Oppenheim:
The de facto recognition of a State or government takes place when, in the view of the
recognising State, the new authority, although actually independent and wielding effective
power in the territory under its control, has not acquired sufficient stability or does not yet offer
prospects of complying other requirements of recognition such as, willingness or ability to fulfill
international obligation.
According to
It is not necessary for a state or government to have de facto recognition for getting de jure
recognition. When a State gets de jure recognition, then State is allowed for exchange of
diplomatic representative, thus establishing diplomatic relation with other nations. A State de
jure recognised by majority of States, then that State is entitled to get membership of UN. The
difference between de facto and de jure, recognition is mainly political in nature rather than
legal.
Collective Recognition
Recognition can be either unilateral or multilateral. When more than one nation recognizes a
State or government, it is referred as collective recognition. The perfect example of collective
recognition is when a State is admitted to the United Nations through a majority of votes by the
member States of UN.
Doctrine of Recognition
There are three main types of doctrines which deal with the recognition, which are as follows:
Estrada Doctrine
It was core foreign policy instrument of Mexican government. It was named after Genaro
Estrada, Secretary of foreign affairs (1930-32). It is believed that foreign government should not
judge, positively or negatively, the government or changes in government of other States, as
judging them will raise a question mark on their sovereignty. The principles behind the
formulation of this were non-intervention, peaceful resolution of disputes and self
determination of all nations.
Stimson Doctrine
This doctrine is named after Henry Stimson, US secretary of State. This policy followed the
principle of nonrecognising the States which came into existence as a result of aggression. The
doctrine was an application of the principle of ex injuria jus non oritur. This policy was mainly
implemented by US federal government but later adopted by governments around the world.
Hallstein Doctrine
The doctrine is of that time when Germany was divided into two parts i.e. the Republic of
Germany (West Germany) and the German Democratic Republic (East Germany). This doctrine
was propounded by Walter Hallstein. The Federal Republic of Germany followed this policy,
which lay that the Federal Republic of Germany would not establish or maintain diplomatic
relations with any State that recognised the German Democratic Republic (East Germany).
Similarly, China followed One China Policy in the context of Taiwan. The country which will
recognise Taiwan as a nation, then China will break diplomatic relations with those nations.
Nationality
Nationality is the legal status which represents the country to which an individual belongs. An
individual's nationality denotes the country where person is born and is the legal citizen of that
country. The status is acquired by different means such as birth, inheritance or naturalization.
On the basis of constitutional provision, every State sets the criteria which determines who can
be the nationals of a country.
Definition of Nationality
According to Fenwick:
Nationality may be defined as the bond which unites a person to a given State which
constitutes his membership in a particular State, which gives him a claim of the protection of
that State and which subject him to the obligation created by the law of that State.
Importance of Nationality
As pointed out by Starke, the laws relating to nationality have following importance under
International Law:
Citizenship
It refers to the status of having the right to participate in and to be represented in politics.
Citizenship is based on the concept that an individual owes allegiance to the state and in turn is
entitled to its protection. The law of citizenship is different from one country to another,
however, there are two basis of citizenship law Jus sanguinis and Jus soli.
Jus sanguinis is based on the principle of blood, descent and heritage play a vital role in defining
who is and can become a citizen. The second basis, jus soli says that a person become citizen of
a country, if born within the country regardless of the citizenship of the parents.
By Birth
It is the most natural way of getting nationality. It is based on the principle of jus sanguinis
which is right of plot descent and heritage. At the time of birth, nationality of parents has an
impact over the nationality of children. Some countries also follow the principle of Jus soli in
extending nationality. For example, we are born in India, hence we get India's nationality.
By Naturalisation
After birth, most preferred way of acquiring nationality is naturalisation. When the nationality
of a person changes subsequently and he acquires the nationality of some other State, the
process of acquisition is known as naturalisation. The rule and norms of naturalisation vary
from one country to another. A candidate who has applied for naturalisation has to promise to
obey and uphold that country's law. Marriages, legitimation, aquisition of domicile etc., are
some of the ways of acquiring nationality through naturalisation.
By Resumption
This type of mode is rarely followed or seen. Under it, if a person loses his nationality due to
some reasons, then person can resume its nationality after fulfilling the procedure enacted by
the nation. Person usually takes oath of citizenship in resumption.
By Subjugation
Another method of acquiring nationality is subjugation. This type of acquiring nationality means
when a State defeats another State or one State bow in front of another, the citizens of the
defeated State automatically acquires the nationality of conquered State.
By Cession
When territory of one State or whole State is ceded to another State, the citizen of former State
acquires the nationality of latter State. When Sikkim was integrated with India, all its citizens
acquired Indian nationality as a consequence of integration.
By Registration
Registration is also a mode for acquiring nationality. Citizen of one nation can get him/her self
registered in another nation and after following instructions and fulfilling basic requirements
person can get nationality of that nation. Terms and conditions for registration are distinct from
one jurisdiction to another.
By Deprivation
States have framed some municipal laws, the breach of which by its nationals results in the
deprivation of their nationality. Under the American laws, service in the armed forces of a
foreign State also results in deprivation of citizenship.
By Expiration
In certain states, on account of legislation, citizenship expires due to long stay abroad. For
example, A naturalist American citizen loses his nationality by having continuous residence for
three years in the territory of a foreign State of which he was formerly a national or in which the
place of his birth is situated.
By Renunciation
A person may also renounce his nationality. The need for renunciation arises when a person
acquires the nationality of more than one State. In such a condition, he has to make a choice as
to of which country he will remain national. Finally, he has to renounce the nationality of one
State. In the case of double nationality of children, the municipal law of certain States like Great
Britain gives them a right on coming of age to declare whether they wish to cease to be citizens
of any one State.
By Substitution
Some States provide for the substitution of nationality. According to this principle, a person
may get nationality of a State in place of the nationality of another State. This is called
nationality by substitution whereby he loses nationality of a State and acquires the nationality
of another State. The British Nationality Act 1948 does not automatically entail loss of British
nationality on the naturalisation of a British subject in a foreign state.
Statelessness
According to United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), Legal definition of a
stateless person is a person who is not considered as a nationali by any state under the
operation of its law. In simple terms, this means that a stateless person does not have a
nationality of any country. Some people are born stateless, but others become stateless.
Stateless people suffer a lot of problems while accessing basic rights such as education,
healthcare, employment and freedom of movement. They even face exploitation while
migrating from one place to another. UNHCR has set 2024 as a dead line to end statelessness.
As per the data of UNHCR, there are around 12 million stateless people in the world.
Immigrant
An immigrant is a person who comes to live permanently in a foreign country. On the other
hand, the process through which individuals become residents or citizens of another country is
known as immigration where as emigration is the act of leaving one's own country to settle
permanently in another country.
Some Common Causes of Immigration
3. For better job and business opportunities, people migrate from one
country to another.
5. Sometimes push factors like poverty, poor living conditions etc., force
people for immigration.
Consequences of Immigration
6. They have the right to equality with nationals of the State, concerned
before the courts and tribunals.
7. Each child of a migrant worker shall have the basic right to a name, to
registration of birth and to, nationality.
Refugee
According to UNHCR, A refugee is someone who has been forced to flee his or her country
because of persecution, war or violence. A refugee has a well-founded fear of persecution for
reasons of race, religion, nationality, political opinion or membership in a particular social
group. Most likely, they cannot return home or are afraid to do so. War and ethnic, tribal and
religious violence are leading causes of refugees fleeing their countries.
Countries which contribute to major percentage of refugees around the world are Syria,
Afghanistan, South Sudan, Myanmar and Somalia. Push factors such as war, persecution
climate change are responsible for this problem.
The 1951 Geneva Convention of Refugee
It is based on the Article 14 of the Universal Declaration Human Rights 1948, which recognises
the right of person to seek asylum from prosecution in other countries. The UN convention
relating to the status of refugees adopted in 1951 is the centre piece of international refugee
protection. It has been ratified by 145 State parties and contains 46 Articles. India has not
ratified it due to some contentious issues.
2. Every refugee has duties in which he finds himself. The State should
apply the provision of this convention without discrimination as to race,
religion or country of origin.
5. A refugee shall have free access to the courts of law on the territory of
all contracting States.
Refugee Crisis
At present world is facing biggest refugee crisis of the world. In layman language, refugee crisis
refers to the problem faced by refugees in course of their movement from one place to another
and also it encompasses economic, social, political problems arise up in host country due to
influx of refugees. According to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, as of January 2019,
70.8 million were displaced worldwide. Thousands of people have died while crossing
Mediterranean Sea to reach Europe.
There are various reasons which force a person to become IDP such as armed conflict, drought
etc. IDPs suffer significantly higher rate of mortality. Among IDPs, women and children are at
greater risk of abuse of their basic rights. International community has very limited role in
solving the problem of IDP as they are not allowed to interfere in internal matters of sovereign
nation until asked for help.
Extradition
In the International law, extradition is referred to as the surrender of an alleged or convicted
criminal by one State to another. Many times, a person after committing a crime run away from
one jurisdiction to another through legal or illegal ways, so in order to punish that person for
his/her act, one country can make a request of extradition after showing sufficient proof.
Extradition plays an important role in the battle against crime. Extradition treaties between
nations help in facilitating extradition of a criminal.
Definitions of Extradition
According to Starke:
the term extradition denotes the process whereby under treaty or upon a basis of reciprocity,
one state surrenders to another State, at its request, a person accused or convicted of a
criminal offence committed against the law of requesting State, such requesting State being
competent to try alleged offender.
According to Oppenheim:
Extradition is the delivery of an accused or a convicted individual to the State on whose territory
he is alleged to have committed or to have been convicted of a crime, by the State on whose
territory the alleged criminal happens to be for the time.
According to Lawrence:
The surrender, by a or State to another, of an individual who is found within the territory of the
former and is accused of having committed a crime within the territory of the later or who
having committed crime outside the territory of its subjects and as such by its law amenable to
its jurisdiction.
Importance of Extradition
At the global level, extradition plays a vital role in fight against crime and ensuring justice.
Following are some important or salient features of extradition:
1. Its main objective is to prevent criminals who flee from one State to
another from punishment for their criminal offence.
Extradition Treaty
According to Business Dictionary:
It is a bilateral and usually reciprocal treaty between sovereign States which (upon request)
provides for the surrender of person(s) accused of a crime under the laws of the requesting
State. Extradition may be barred for offences other than those punishable in the surrendering
State, and commonly, its courts must be convinced that a prima facie criminal case exists.
It helps in deciding legal framework for the return of criminals between States. Currently, India
has signed bilateral extradition treaties with 43 nations and extradition agreement with 10
nations.
Later in the year 1948, the General Assembly of organisation adopted draft as Integration
Criminal Police Commission. Since its inception, the General Secretariat of the ICPO Interpol has
taken two main initiatives to facilitate international police co-operation in matters relating to
extradition.
The first initiative provides for the publication of circulars, formulating provisional measures,
easing identification and arrest of a person wanted on a warrant of arrest.
The second initiative taken by the ICPO-Interpol consist the dissemination of national
extradition law.
In this regard, a resolution was passed in 1967 in Tokyo. The pre-extradition circular and the
text of extradition laws of the member countries received from the General Secretariat are
being maintained in the Interpol wing.
Extradition in India
India enacted Indian Extradition Act, 1962 which govern the extradition of a fugitive from India
to a foreign country or vice versa. The act was substantially modified in 1993.
Article 34 (b) of the Indian Extradition Act, 1962 provides procedure for the arrest and
extradition of fugitive criminal, under certain conditions which includes receipt of the request
through diplomatic channels only and under the warrant issued by a Magistrate having a
competent jurisdiction.
Section 41(1) (g) of the Cr.P.C, 1973 authorizes the police to arrest a fugitive criminal without a
warrant, however, they must immediately refer the matter to Interpol Wing for onward
transmission to the Government of India for taking a decision on extradition or otherwise.
As per Section 188 of Cr.P.C, 1973 as if the offence has been committed at any place in India at
which he may be found, the trial of such a fugitive criminal can only take place with the
previous sanction of the Central Government.
India has also signed many regional extradition treaties such as London scheme (non binding in
nature) etc. In 2011, Two UN Conventions i.e. the United Nations Convention against Corruption
and the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organised Crime and its three
protocols have been ratified by India. Article of these conventions can be used for the purpose
of extradition.
Asylum
In layman language, asylum refers to status of a person, when a Government grants shelter and
active protection to people who are at risk of harm in their countries. There can be multiple
reasons behind seeking an asylum such as religion, political opinion, sexual orientation or
ethnicity. According to Institute of International Law:
Asylum is the protection which a State grants on its territory or in some other place under the
control of certain of its organs to a person who comes to seek it. The process of seeking the
asylum is complicated and it depends on the merit of the case and on the country which has to
decide about asylum. Mainly, political leaders and activists apply for asylum.
Asylum Seeker
A person who applies or makes a request for asylum is referred as asylum seeker. A person
becomes asylum seeker by making formal application for the right to remain in another country
and keeps that status untills the application has been concluded. At the end of 2018, there were
approx 3.5 million people around the world waiting for a decision of their asylum claim.
Right to Asylum
According to international law, a person has a right to asylum. In this regard, Article 14 of the
Universal Declaration of Human Rights says that everyone has a right to seek and enjoy in other
countries asylum from prosecution. Right to asylum is also supported by the 1951 convention
relating to the status of refugees and 1967 protocol relating to the status of refugees.
Types of Asylum
Territorial Asylum:
When a State grants asylum to any one on its territory, then it is referred as territorial asylum.
When any nation gives this type of asylum, it is considered as a manifestation of territorial
sovereignty. The General Assembly of the UN unanimously adopted a resolution 2312 on 14th
December, 1967, a declaration on territorial asylum.