SANTO DOMINGO.- Although based on a treaty that took effect in 1910, extraditions between the Dominican Republic and the United States are often a thorn in both countries’ relations.

A country’s refusal to accept the other’s extradition request or the prosecution of defendants has caused questionings between the countries, even to the point of considering the treaty’s revision.

The most recent case is the rejection of the American government’s request of the homicide suspect Juan Astwood, for whom the Supreme Court (SCJ) ordered his release. Ambassador Robert Fannin protested the decision, who stated the U.S.’ concern alleging it sets a precedent for other cases.

In response the SCJ said it wouldn’t accept hindrance or guidelines which place its work capacity in doubt.

Other conflicts occurred in 2006 when a South Florida court refused to extradite Sam Goodson (Shlomo Ben-tov, accused in the country in the Plan Renove embezzlement case, and the Dominican Government’s rejection of handing over Carlos Grullón, suspected of killing his wife. The United States countered by halting US$6.1 million in aid to pressure his extradition.

In June 2005 then American ambassador Hans Hertell complained that arrest  warrants for extraditable were made public, measure he said endangered the lives of the agents who carried them out, but the SCJ refused to conceal the names.

In March 2006 the Justice Ministry complained of the U.S.’s treatment of the country’s extradition requests, arguing that while more than 120 Dominicans had been handed over from here, not even one came from that nation.

Another thorny case was the sentence of life imprisonment of a Dominican extradited to the U.S., which jurists and human rights activists rejected alleging that the sentence violated the treaty.

SOURCE: diariolibre.com.do