The Biden administration’s recent high-profile prisoner swap of WNBA player Brittney Griner for Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout has brought the issue of extradition and the legal treatment of foreign nationals accused of crimes abroad to the forefront of the American public’s awareness once again.
For anyone who follows these issues, the fact that things came to this should come as little surprise. Diplomatic frictions between the United States and Russia are well known and Vladimir Putin’s penchant for using American prisoners as geopolitical pawns is a tried-and-true tactic. But tensions between the United States and United Kingdom on matters of extradition and a related key treaty meant to help combat terrorism have also been escalating in recent years. Things may come to a head in the coming months as two key cases are decided and this issue should be watched with keen interest, as an adverse outcome could have significant national security implications.
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