Provisional arrest

Republic of Montenegro

Criminal Procedure Code of the Republic of Montenegro

Part One
GENERAL PROVISIONS

Chapter VIII
MEASURES FOR ENSURING THE PRESENCE OF THE ACCUSED PERSON AND FOR A PEACEFUL CONDUCTING OF THE CRIMINAL PROCEDURE

6. DETENTION

Exceptional reasons for ordering detention and Urgency of Proceedings in Cases of Detention

Article 174
(1) Detention may be ordered only under the conditions set forth in this Code and only if the same purpose cannot be achieved by another measure and it is necessary for a peaceful conduct of procedure.

(2) All authorities taking part in the criminal procedure and authorities providing them with legal assistance shall proceed with exceptional urgency if the accused person is in detention.

(3) Throughout the proceedings, detention shall be terminated as soon as the grounds for which it was ordered cease to exist.

Reasons for ordering detention

Article 175
(1) When reasonable suspicion exists that a certain person had committed a criminal offence, detention may be ordered against that person, if :

1) the persons hide or their identity cannot be established, or if other circumstances exist indicating a risk of flight ;
2) circumstances exist that indicate that they would destroy, hide, modify or fabricate evidence or traces of a criminal offence or indicate that they would hinder the procedure by influencing witnesses, accomplices or accessories by virtue of concealment ;
3) circumstances exist that indicate that the criminal offense would be repeated or attempted criminal offence completed or that they would commit the criminal offence they threaten to commit ;
4) in the case of the criminal offence punishable by imprisonment of ten years or a more severe punishment and especially grave due to the manner of commission and consequences and exceptional circumstances exist indicating that liberation would lead to a serious threat to the preservation of public order and peace ;
5) duly summoned defendants obviously evade appearing at the main hearing.

(2) In the case referred to in Paragraph 1, Item 1 of this Article, detention ordered only because it was not possible to establish the identity of the person shall last until this identity is established. In the case referred to in Paragraph 1, item 2 of this Article, detention shall be terminated as soon as evidence because of which detention was ordered are secured. Detention ordered pursuant to Paragraph 1, Item 5 of this Article may last until the publication of the judgment.

Ordering Detention, Contents of the Ruling on Detention and Right of Appeal against the Ruling

Article 176
(1) Detention shall be ordered upon the motion of the authorized prosecutor by a ruling issued by the competent Court, after a previous hearing of the accused person.

(2) The ruling ordering detention shall contain: first name and the surname, year and place of birth of the persons against whom detention is ordered, criminal offence they are charged with, the legal grounds for detention, the duration of detention, the time the person was deprived of liberty, instructions on the right to appeal, the statement of reasons as well as a statement of the grounds for ordering detention, the official seal and the signature of the judge ordering detention.

(3) The ruling ordering detentionshall be served on persons to whom it relates immediately after it is rendered. The day and the time the ruling was received shall be indicated in the files. Detained persons shall acknowledge the receipt of the ruling with their signature.

(4) Detainees and their defense attorneys may file an appeal against the ruling ordering detention to the panel referred to in Article 24, Paragraph 7 of the present Code within a term of 24 hours from the moment of the delivery of the ruling. The appeal, the ruling on detention and other files shall be submitted to the Panel immediately. An appeal shall not stay the enforcement of the the ruling.

(5) The State Prosecutor may lodge an appeal to the Panel referred to in Article 24, Paragraph 7 of the present Code Against the ruling rejecting the motion of the State Prosecutor to order detention to the accused person, within 24 hours as of the moment of serving the ruling. an appeal shall not stay the enforcement of the ruling.

(6) In cases referred to in paras. 4 and 5 of this Article, the Panel deciding on the appeal shall render a decision within 48 hours .

Ordering detention and duration of detention During Investigation

Article 177
(1) On basis of the ruling of the investigating judge, the accused person may be kept in detention at the longest one month from the day of deprivation of liberty. After this term has expired, the accused person may be detained only on the basis of a ruling extending detention.

(2) Detention may be extended on basis of the ruling of the Panel referred to in Article 24, Paragraph 7 of the present Code for no longer than two months and at the motion of the State Prosecutor containing a statement of reasons. An appeal against the ruling of the Panel shall be allowed but it shall not stay the enforcement of the ruling.

(3) If the procedure is conducted for a criminal offence punishable by imprisonment for a term of more than five years, the Panel of the Supreme Court may, upon a substantiated motion of the State Prosecutor, if important reasons exist, extend the detention for no longer than another three months.

(4) The accused person shall be released if the indictment has not been brought until the expiry of the terms referred to in Paragraphs 2 and 3 of the present Code.

Termination of detention

Article 178

(1) In the course of investigation, the investigating judge may terminate the detention at the motion of the State Prosecutor or of the accused persons, i.e. their defense attorney. An appeal to the ruling on the release from detention shall not stay the enforcement of the ruling.

(2) Before the adoption of the decision on the proposal of the accused person or defense attorney for the termination of detention, the investigative judge shall ask the opinion of the State Prosecutor.

Ordering and Supervising detention after the indictment Was brought

Article 179
(1) After the indictment has been submitted to the Court and up until the completion of the main hearing, detention may be ordered or terminated only by the ruling rendered by the Panel, provided that the opinion of the State Prosecutor is obtained if the proceedings are conducted upon his/her charges. Detention may last at the longest for three years from the issuing of indictment until the rendering of a first instance decision.

(2) Upon a motion of the parties or by virtue of office, the panel shall review whether the grounds for detention still exist and it shall issue a ruling extending or terminating detention, upon expiration every 30 days before the indictment has become final, and every two months from the moment the indictment becomes final.

(4) An appeal on the ruling referred to in Paragraphs 1 and 2 of this Article shall not stay the execution of the ruling and the court shall render a decision thereon within three days.

(5) An Appeal shall not be allowed against the ruling of the Panel referred to in paragraph 1 of this Article by which the motion to order or terminate detention is rejected.

Obligation to inform on deprivation of liberty

Article 180
(1) immediately after a person has been deprived of liberty and within a term of 24 hours at the latest, police authority, the State Prosecutor or the court shall inform the family of the detained persons or their extra-marital partner thereon, unless the detained persons expressly object thereto.

(2) A competent authority for social care shall be informed about the deprivation of liberty if necessary to take measures for the care of children and other family members to whom the person deprived of liberty is a guardian.

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.