TITLE II
Extradition from Austria
Chapter ONE
Admissibility of Extradition
Extradition Requests from Several Countries
§ 24. If two or more States are requesting the extradition of the same person, a decision shall be taken on the priority of the extradition requests, taking account of all circumstances, specifically treaty obligations, the place where the act was committed, the chronological sequence in which the requests were received, the nationality of the person to be extradited, the possibility of a further extradition and, if the requests relate to various punishable acts, also the severity of the punishable acts concerned (§ 34 (2)).
TITLE VI
Obtaining Extradition, Transit, Delivery, Judicial Assistance, as well as Taking Over the Prosecution of a Case, Surveillance and Execution
CHAPTER THREE
Obtaining the Taking Over of the Prosecution of a Case, a Surveillance, as well as the Execution of Criminal-Law Convictions by Foreign Countries
Obtaining the Taking Over of the Prosecution of a Case
§ 74. (1) The Federal Minister of Justice may request another State to initiate criminal proceedings against a person for a punishable act that is subject to Austrian jurisdiction if the jurisdiction of that State appears to be justified and
1. the extradition of a person staying abroad cannot be obtained, or obtaining an extradition is waived for another reason, or
2. it is expedient to adjudicate a person staying in Austria in the other State on account of an interest in ascertaining the truth or for reasons of determining the punishment, or performing the execution, and whenever this person is extradited for another punishable act, or it is to be otherwise assumed that the criminal proceedings in the other State will be conducted in the presence of this person.
(2) If the taking over of the prosecution of a case is to be obtained, the public prosecutor shall report this to the Federal Ministry of Justice, attaching the required documents of the case.
(3) A request pursuant to paragraph (1) shall not be admissible if there is reason for concern that the person would be exposed to a drawback for one of the reasons listed in § 19, or if the punishable act is sanctioned by the death penalty in the requested State.
(4) After receipt of the notice that the requested State has taken over the prosecution of a case, the criminal proceedings in Austria may be suspended for the time being. If the offender has been convicted with final and enforceable effect by the foreign court and if the punishment has been executed in full or has been remitted as far as it has not been executed, the proceedings in Austria shall be discontinued.
(5) Prior to a request for taking over the prosecution of a case, the accused shall be heard if he/she is staying in Austria.
1. A State Party which receives a request from the Court for the surrender of a person under article 89 shall, if it also receives a request from any other State for the extradition of the same person for the same conduct which forms the basis of the crime for which the Court seeks the person's surrender, notify the Court and the requesting State of that fact.
2. Where the requesting State is a State Party, the requested State shall give priority to the request from the Court if:
(a) The Court has, pursuant to article 18 or 19, made a determination that the case in respect of which surrender is sought is admissible and that determination takes into account the investigation or prosecution conducted by the requesting State in respect of its request for extradition; or
(b) The Court makes the determination described in subparagraph (a) pursuant to the requested State's notification under paragraph 1.
3. Where a determination under paragraph 2 (a) has not been made, the requested State may, at its discretion, pending the determination of the Court under paragraph 2 (b), proceed to deal with the request for extradition from the requesting State but shall not extradite the person until the Court has determined that the case is inadmissible. The Court's determination shall be made on an expedited basis.
4. If the requesting State is a State not Party to this Statute the requested State, if it is not under an international obligation to extradite the person to the requesting State, shall give priority to the request for surrender from the Court, if the Court has determined that the case is admissible.
5. Where a case under paragraph 4 has not been determined to be admissible by the Court, the requested State may, at its discretion, proceed to deal with the request for extradition from the requesting State.
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.
7. Where a State Party which receives a request from the Court for the surrender of a person also receives a request from any State for the extradition of the same person for conduct other than that which constitutes the crime for which the Court seeks the person's surrender:
(a) The requested State shall, if it is not under an existing international obligation to extradite the person to the requesting State, give priority to the request from the Court;
(b) The requested State shall, if it is under an existing international obligation to extradite the person to the requesting State, determine whether to surrender the person to the Court or to 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 those set out in paragraph 6, but shall give special consideration to the relative nature and gravity of the conduct in question.
Where pursuant to a notification under this article, the Court has determined a case to be inadmissible, and subsequently extradition to the requesting State is refused, the requested State shall notify the Court of this decision.