Refusal of ICC request - competing request

Commonwealth of Australia

Australia - International Criminal Court Act No. 41 2002 (2018) EN

Part 2—General provisions relating to requests by the ICC for cooperation

12 Request that may raise problems relating to Australia’s international obligations to a foreign country
(3) A certificate signed under subsection (2) is conclusive evidence of the matters stated in the certificate.
(4) If, after the consultation, the Attorney-General is not satisfied as mentioned in subsection (2), the Attorney-General must postpone the execution of the request unless and until the foreign country has made the necessary waiver or given the necessary consent.

Part 3—Requests by the ICC for arrest and surrender of persons

Division 4—Surrender of persons

31 Refusal of surrender
(1) The Attorney-General must refuse a request for surrender of a person if the ICC determines that the case is inadmissible and subsection 33(4), 35(3) or 36(3) applies.
(2) The Attorney-General may refuse a request for surrender of a person if:
(a) there are competing requests from the ICC, and from a foreign country that is not a party to the Statute, relating to the same conduct, and subsection 39(6) applies; or
(b) there are competing requests from the ICC, and from a foreign country that is not a party to the Statute, relating to different conduct, and subsection 40(3) applies.
(3) The restrictions on extradition specified in the Extradition Act 1988 do not apply in relation to a request for surrender of a person.

Part 3—Requests by the ICC for arrest and surrender of persons

Division 4—Surrender of persons

32 Postponement of execution of request for surrender
(1)
(c) the request involves a conflict with Australia’s international obligations, and subsection 12(4) applies.

Part 4—Other requests by ICC

Division 3—Restrictions on provision of assistance

51 Refusal of assistance
(2)
(b) if there are competing requests from the ICC, and from a foreign country that is not a party to the Statute, relating to the same conduct, and subsection 59(4) applies; or
(c) if there are competing requests from the ICC, and from a foreign country, relating to different conduct, and subsection 60(3) applies.

Part 4—Other requests by ICC

Division 3—Restrictions on provision of assistance

61 Notification to ICC of decision refusing request by foreign country
(1) If, following notification under article 90 of the Statute, the ICC
has determined that a case is inadmissible and the Attorney-General subsequently refuses the request for assistance from the foreign country, the Attorney-General must notify the ICC of the refusal.
(2) The obligation in this section is in addition to the requirement of section 14 for the Attorney-General to respond formally to the request for cooperation.

Rome Statute

Article 90 Competing requests

6. In cases where paragraph 4 applies except that the requested State is under an existing international obligation to extradite the person to the requesting State not Party to this Statute, the requested State shall determine whether to surrender the person to the Court or extradite the person to the requesting State. In making its decision, the requested State shall consider all the relevant factors, including but not limited to:

(a) The respective dates of the requests;

(b) The interests of the requesting State including, where relevant, whether the crime was committed in its territory and the nationality of the victims and of the person sought; and

(c) The possibility of subsequent surrender between the Court and the requesting State.

Article 93 Other forms of cooperation

9.

(a)

(i) In the event that a State Party receives competing requests, other than for surrender or extradition, from the Court and from another State pursuant to an international obligation, the State Party shall endeavour, in consultation with the Court and the other State, to meet both requests, if necessary by postponing or attaching conditions to one or the other request.

(ii) Failing that, competing requests shall be resolved in accordance with the principles established in article 90.

(b) Where, however, the request from the Court concerns information, property or persons which are subject to the control of a third State or an international organization by virtue of an international agreement, the requested States shall so inform the Court and the Court shall direct its request to the third State or international organization.