Diplomatic Assurances in Extradition Proceedings, 2022–2026

This report examines how diplomatic assurances are assessed in extradition proceedings involving risks of torture, ill-treatment and other serious violations of individual rights. Its comparative analysis draws on European human rights case law, decisions from the United Kingdom and New Zealand, and the work of UN treaty bodies. Cases including Liu, Kim, Assange, and Chappell and Wright illustrate how the content of an assurance, its issuing authority and the procedural stage influence the legal assessment. The study focuses on the connection between the identified risk and the protection actually promised, including detention arrangements, monitoring, access and practical implementation. It distinguishes judicial acceptance of an assurance from evidence of subsequent compliance and explains why different outcomes cannot be reduced to a general judgment about a receiving country. The 2022–2026 review identifies recurring questions of reliability and verification while preserving the factual and legal differences between proceedings.