Provisional arrest

French Republic

France - Criminal Procedure Code 1959 (2006) EN

BOOK IV
SOME SPECIFIC PROCEEDINGS

TITLE I
CO-OPERATION WITH THE INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL COURT

CHAPTER I
JUDICIAL CO-OPERATION

SECTION II
ARRESTS AND TRANSFERS

Article 627-14
A person who has been taken into preventative custody under the conditions provided for in article 92 of the statute may, if he consents to this, be handed over to the International Criminal Court, in accordance with article 87 of the statute, before the competent authorities have been seised of an official request for the transfer on the part of the international court.
The transfer decision is made by the investigating chamber of the Appeal Court of Paris after the latter has informed the person concerned of his right to an official transfer procedure, and has obtained his consent.
During his hearing before the investigating chamber, the person concerned may be assisted by an advocate of his choice, or failing this, an advocate officially nominated by the bâtonnier of the order of advocates and, if necessary, an interpreter.
A person who has been taken into preventative custody under the conditions provided for in article 92 of the statute, and has not consented to be handed over to the court may be freed if the competent authorities in accordance with article 87 do not receive the official transfer request within the time limit set out by the international court's regulations governing procedure and evidence.
Release is decided by the investigating chamber on an application made by the party concerned. The investigating chamber rules within eight days of the arrested person's appearance before it.

Rome Statute

Article 92 Provisional arrest

1. In urgent cases, the Court may request the provisional arrest of the person sought, pending presentation of the request for surrender and the documents supporting the request as specified in article 91.

2. The request for provisional arrest shall be made by any medium capable of delivering a written record and shall contain:

(a) Information describing the person sought, sufficient to identify the person, and information as to that person's probable location;

(b) A concise statement of the crimes for which the person's arrest is sought and of the facts which are alleged to constitute those crimes, including, where possible, the date and location of the crime;

(c) A statement of the existence of a warrant of arrest or a judgement of conviction against the person sought; and

(d) A statement that a request for surrender of the person sought will follow.

3. A person who is provisionally arrested may be released from custody if the requested State has not received the request for surrender and the documents supporting the request as specified in article 91 within the time limits specified in the Rules of Procedure and Evidence. However, the person may consent to surrender before the expiration of this period if permitted by the law of the requested State. In such a case, the requested State shall proceed to surrender the person to the Court as soon as possible.

4. The fact that the person sought has been released from custody pursuant to paragraph 3 shall not prejudice the subsequent arrest and surrender of that person if the request for surrender and the documents supporting the request are delivered at a later date.