1. Counsel shall enjoy the following privileges, immunities and facilities to the extent necessary for the independent performance of his or her functions, including the time spent on journeys, in connection with the performance of his or her functions and subject to production of the certificate referred to in paragraph 2 of this article:
(a) Immunity from personal arrest or detention and from seizure of his or her personal baggage;
(b) Immunity from legal process of every kind in respect of words spoken or written and all acts performed by him or her in official capacity, which immunity shall continue to be accorded even after he or she has ceased to exercise his or her functions;
(c) Inviolability of papers and documents in whatever form and materials relating to the exercise of his or her functions;
(d) For the purposes of communications in pursuance of his or her functions as counsel, the right to receive and send papers and documents in whatever form;
(e) Exemption from immigration restrictions or alien registration;
(f) Exemption from inspection of personal baggage, unless there are serious grounds for believing that the baggage contains articles the import or export of which is prohibited by law or controlled by the quarantine regulations of the State Party concerned; an inspection in such a case shall be conducted in the presence of the counsel concerned;
(g) The same privileges in respect of currency and exchange facilities as are accorded to representatives of foreign Governments on temporary official missions;
(h) The same repatriation facilities in time of international crisis as are accorded to diplomatic agents under the Vienna Convention.
2. Upon appointment of counsel in accordance with the Statute, the Rules of Procedure and Evidence and the Regulations of the Court, counsel shall be provided with a certificate under the signature of the Registrar for a period required for the exercise of his or her functions. Such certificate shall be withdrawn if the power or mandate is terminated before the expiry of the certificate.
3. Where the incidence of any form of taxation depends upon residence, periods during which counsel is present in a State Party for the discharge of his or her functions shall not be considered as periods of residence.
4. The provisions of this article shall apply mutatis mutandis to persons assisting defence counsel in accordance with rule 22 of the Rules of Procedure and Evidence.
Privileges and immunities – counsel and persons assisting defence counsel – APIC