Aut dedere aut punire
“Either extradite or punish.”
Hugo Grotius, De iure belli ac pacis
What does “Aut dedere aut punire” mean?
Aut dedere aut punire translates as “Either extradite or punish.”
A state must either hand over a suspect or prosecute them itself. Crimes should not go unpunished because of borders.
“Aut dedere aut punire” word by word
| Latin | English | Grammar |
|---|---|---|
| Aut | or, either | a conjunction (“either … or”); it is repeated before each alternative and marks an exclusive choice |
| dedere | to hand over, to surrender | present infinitive active of dedo, dedere, “I hand over”, here meaning extradite a suspect |
| aut | or | second part of the pair “aut … aut”: the state must pick one of the two options |
| punire | to punish | present infinitive active of punio, punire, “I punish”; a variant spelling is poenire |
How to pronounce “Aut dedere aut punire”
The difference is small: classical au is a diphthong like “ow” in “cow”, while church Latin often gives it a more open “aw” sound. Stress falls on the first syllable of dedere and the second of punire.
The story behind it
Word for word the phrase says “either to hand over or to punish”. It is a short formula for a rule in international law: a state holding a suspect must either send them to another state that wants to try them or put them on trial itself.
The idea is traced to Hugo Grotius, the Dutch jurist who discussed it in his work De iure belli ac pacis (On the Law of War and Peace, 1625). Grotius argued that a state which shelters a wrongdoer should not let the crime go unpunished.
Modern treaties and lawyers usually say “aut dedere aut iudicare”, “either extradite or prosecute”, because a state is not required to impose a punishment, only to bring the case before its own courts. The principle appears in many international conventions, for example those on terrorism, torture and hijacking.
How to use “Aut dedere aut punire”
Mainly at home in legal writing: an essay or exam answer on extradition, universal jurisdiction or international criminal law. As a motto it suits anyone who wants to express that justice must not stop at a border.
- Latin
- Aut dedere aut punire
- English
- Either extradite or punish.
- Source
- Hugo Grotius, De iure belli ac pacis
- Era
- Legal Latin
- Theme
- Justice
Common mistakes
- The usual modern wording is “aut dedere aut iudicare” (“extradite or prosecute”). Many lawyers prefer it because it does not promise a guilty verdict.
- Aut means “either … or” and excludes the other option. Do not swap it for vel or ve, which give a looser “or”.
- It is a legal principle about states, not a general moral saying about individuals, so quoting it in a personal context needs care.
- Both verbs are infinitives and need no endings changed. Do not turn dedere into dedare or punire into punere.
Questions about “Aut dedere aut punire”
What does “Aut dedere aut punire” mean literally?
“Either to hand over or to punish.” It means a state must either extradite a suspect or deal with the case itself.
Who said “Aut dedere aut punire”?
The principle is associated with Hugo Grotius and his De iure belli ac pacis. The exact wording of the phrase as we quote it today is a later legal formulation.
What is the difference between “aut dedere aut punire” and “aut dedere aut iudicare”?
Iudicare means “to judge, to try”. Modern law prefers it because a state must put the suspect on trial, not necessarily punish them.
How do you pronounce “Aut dedere aut punire”?
In classical Latin: owt DEH-deh-reh owt poo-NEE-reh. In church Latin the aut sounds more like “awt”.
More to explore
Translation and grammar checked by Latin Quoter · last reviewed November 2026
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