The UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights states Article 14 Everyone has the right to seek and to enjoy in other countries asylum from persecution. This right may not be invoked in the case of prosecutions genuinely arising from non-political crimes or from acts contrary to the purposes and principles of the United Nations. "Non-political"? I used to understand that logic, or at least think it was good. People should at least be protected from political persecution in their home country. But what about criminal asylum? I live in Detroit, MI. And about 20 years ago, a man from Michigan was given criminal asylum in Canada. In Michigan, he was facing mandatory live imprisonment for a nonviolent drug offense. And the Canadian authorities refused to hand him over. Even though they have an extradition treaty with us. This got me to thinking back then. That's a good idea. Criminal asylum. For the worse examples of human rights abuses. Where they chop off your arm or burn you for being a heretic. Or, for that matter, I think now. Sentence you to 6 months in jail for gay sex. Even if the country has an extradition treaty with you, it can be on a case-by-case basis. A moral clause in the treaty. Thoughts?
