Article 544. Executing a Request for the Extradition of Persons who are on the Territory of the Republic of Moldova
(1) A foreign citizen or stateless person under criminal investigation or convicted in a foreign state for the commission of an act subject to punishment in that state may be extradited to this foreign state upon the request of the competent authorities, in view of prosecuting or executing the sentence pronounced for the act committed or of pronouncing a new sentence.
(2) A foreign citizen or stateless person convicted in a foreign state for the commission of an act subject to punishment in that state may be extradited to the foreign state that has taken over the execution upon the request of the competent authorities of the state, in view of executing the sentence pronounced for the act committed or of pronouncing a new sentence.
(3) Extradition for the purpose of criminal investigation shall be granted only if the act is punishable under the legislation of the Republic of Moldova and the maximum punishment is at least one year of imprisonment or if, after a similar inversion of things, the act would be subject to such a punishment under the legislation of the Republic of Moldova.
(4) Extradition for the purpose of executing a sentence shall be granted only if extradition under para. (3) is admissible and if a punishment depriving liberty is to be executed. Extradition shall be granted if the term of detention to be served or the cumulation of the detention terms to be executed is of at least six months unless an international treaty provides otherwise.
(5) If the extradition of a person is requested by several states either for the same act or for different acts, the Republic of Moldova shall decide on extradition considering all the circumstances, including the seriousness and place of commission of the crimes, the respective data from the requests, the citizenship of the person solicited and the possibility of subsequent extradition to another state.
(6) If the Prosecutor General or, as the case may be, the Minister of Justice considers that the person solicited by the foreign state or international court may not be extradited, he/she shall refuse extradition in a reasoned decision, and if considering that the person may be extradited he/she shall make a motion to the court within the territorial jurisdiction of the Ministry of Justice and shall attached thereto the request and the documents of the requesting state.
(7) The motion for extradition shall be resolved by the investigative judge from the court located in the territorial jurisdiction of the Ministry of Justice with the participation of the prosecutor, a representative of the Ministry of Justice (if convicts are to be extradited), the person whose extradition is requested and his/her defense counsel selected or appointed in line with the Law on the Legal Assistance Guaranteed by the State. The motion for the extradition of an arrestee shall be resolved urgently. A motion for extradition shall be resolved in the manner provided by law. The court is not competent to pronounce on the propriety of the investigation or conviction for which the foreign authority requests extradition.
(8) Should the court find that all the conditions for extradition are met, it shall admit in a judgment the request for extradition and shall decide to keep the person under preventive arrest until extradition. Should the court find that the conditions for extradition are not met, it shall reject the request and shall order the release of the person whose extradition is requested. The judgment shall be edited within not more than 24 hours from pronouncement and shall be transmitted to the General Prosecutor’s Office or to the Ministry of Justice.
(9) The court judgment on extradition may be subject to cassation by the prosecutor and by the extradited person or his/her attorney within 10 days from pronouncement to the Chisinau Court of Appeals. Cassation shall be heard in line with the provisions of Section 2, Chapter IV, Title II of the Special Part of this Code. The final judgment of the investigative judge shall be sent to the General Prosecutor’s Office and to the Ministry of Justice for execution or for the information of the requesting state.
4. Without prejudice to other articles in this Part, where it is necessary for the successful execution of a request which can be executed without any compulsory measures, including specifically the interview of or taking evidence from a person on a voluntary basis, including doing so without the presence of the authorities of the requested State Party if it is essential for the request to be executed, and the examination without modification of a public site or other public place, the Prosecutor may execute such request directly on the territory of a State as follows:
(a) When the State Party requested is a State on the territory of which the crime is alleged to have been committed, and there has been a determination of admissibility pursuant to article 18 or 19, the Prosecutor may directly execute such request following all possible consultations with the requested State Party;
(b) In other cases, the Prosecutor may execute such request following consultations with the requested State Party and subject to any reasonable conditions or concerns raised by that State Party. Where the requested State Party identifies problems with the execution of a request pursuant to this subparagraph it shall, without delay, consult with the Court to resolve the matter.
1. A person surrendered to the Court under this Statute shall not be proceeded against, punished or detained for any conduct committed prior to surrender, other than the conduct or course of conduct which forms the basis of the crimes for which that person has been surrendered.