Production of evidence - national procedures for ICC proceedings

United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

International Criminal Court (Scotland) Act 2001 (2015)

PART 2
ASSISTANCE

13 Taking or production of evidence

(1) This section applies where the Scottish Ministers receive a request from the ICC for assistance in the taking or production of evidence.

(2) The Scottish Ministers may nominate a court in Scotland to receive the evidence to which the request relates.

(3) For this purpose the nominated court—
(a) has the same powers with respect to securing the attendance of witnesses ; and
subject to subsection (5) below, the production of documents or other articles, as it has for the purpose of other proceedings before the court ; and
(b) may take evidence on oath.

(4) Any proceedings under this section shall be conducted in private.

(5) A person shall not be compelled to give evidence or produce anything in proceedings under this section that, under the Rules of Procedure and Evidence for the time being in force, the person could not be compelled to give or produce in proceedings before the ICC.

(6) If in order to comply with the request it is necessary for the evidence received by the court to be verified in any manner, the notice nominating the court shall specify the nature of the verification required.

(7) No order for expenses shall be made in proceedings under this section.

(8) In subsection (5) above, the reference to the Rules of Procedure and Evidence is a reference to the rules adopted under article 51.

PART 2
ASSISTANCE

14 Taking or production of evidence : further provisions

(1) The following provisions apply in relation to proceedings before a nominated court under section 13 of this Act and the evidence received in the proceedings.

(2) The court shall ensure that a record is kept of the proceedings that indicates, in particular—
which persons with an interest in the proceedings were present ; and
which of those persons were represented and by whom.

(3) The record shall not be made available to any person except as authorised by the Scottish Ministers or with the leave of the court.

(4) A copy of the record of the proceedings shall be sent to the Scottish Ministers for transmission to the ICC.

Rome Statute

Article 93 Other forms of cooperation

1. States Parties shall, in accordance with the provisions of this Part and under procedures of national law, comply with requests by the Court to provide the following assistance in relation to investigations or prosecutions:

(b) The taking of evidence, including testimony under oath, and the production of evidence, including expert opinions and reports necessary to the Court;