PART IV - MISCELLANEOUS
20. Privilege for foreign documents
(1) Subject to subsection (2), a document sent to the Central Authority by -
(a) a foreign State ; or
(b) an international criminal tribunal,
in accordance with a request made by the Central Authority under this Act shall be privileged.
(2) No person shall disclose the document referred to in subsection (1), or its purport, or the contents of the document, before the document, in compliance with the conditions on which it was so sent, is made public, or disclosed, in the course of and for the purpose of any proceedings.
(3) No person in possession of a document referred to in subsection (1), or a copy thereof, or who has knowledge of any information contained in the document, shall be required by any court or other person to produce the document or copy thereof or to give evidence relating to any information that is contained therein except for the purpose of any proceedings.
(4) Except to the extent required under this Act to execute a request by a foreign State or an international criminal tribunal, no person shall disclose –
(a) the fact that the request has been received ; or
(b) the contents of the request.
2. Immunities or special procedural rules which may attach to the official capacity of a person, whether under national or international law, shall not bar the Court from exercising its jurisdiction over such a person.
1. The Court may not proceed with a request for surrender or assistance which would require the requested State to act inconsistently with its obligations under international law with respect to the State or diplomatic immunity of a person or property of a third State, unless the Court can first obtain the cooperation of that third State for the waiver of the immunity.
2. The Court may not proceed with a request for surrender which would require the requested State to act inconsistently with its obligations under international agreements pursuant to which the consent of a sending State is required to surrender a person of that State to the Court, unless the Court can first obtain the cooperation of the sending State for the giving of consent for the surrender.
From the date on which the Court establishes a social security scheme, the persons referred to in articles 15, 16 and 17 shall, with respect to services rendered for the Court, be exempt from all compulsory contributions to national social security schemes.