Enforcement of national penalties - conditions of imprisonment

The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia

Macedonia - Criminal Code 1996 (2009) EN

GENERAL PART

3. PUNISHMENTS

3.1. The aim of punishment, the types of punishments and conditions for pronouncing them

Imprisonment

Article 35

(1) Imprisonment may not be shorter than thirty days, or longer than 15 years. For the crimes for which the law prescribes a life imprisonment sentence, a sentence of imprisonment of up to 20 years may be applied.

(2) If a punishment of 15 years of imprisonment is prescribed for a premeditated crime, a punishment of life imprisonment may be prescribed for severe forms of this crime.

(3) The punishment of life imprisonment may not be prescribed as the only main punishment.

(4) The punishment of life imprisonment may not be pronounced for an offender who at the time the crime was committed has not attained the age of 21 years.

(5) Imprisonment is pronounced with full years and months, and up to six months, also with full days.

(6) When a punishment of imprisonment is prescribed for crimes without appointing a minimal measure, and when the maximum measure is not longer than three years, it is compulsory to also pronounce a fine besides the punishment of imprisonment.

(7) The imprisonment shall take place within facilities for imprisonment sentences, specified by law.

Rome Statute

Article 103 Role of States in enforcement of sentences of imprisonment

1.

(a) A sentence of imprisonment shall be served in a State designated by the Court from a list of States which have indicated to the Court their willingness to accept sentenced persons.

(b) At the time of declaring its willingness to accept sentenced persons, a State may attach conditions to its acceptance as agreed by the Court and in accordance with this Part.

(c) A State designated in a particular case shall promptly inform the Court whether it accepts the Court's designation.

2.

(a) The State of enforcement shall notify the Court of any circumstances, including the exercise of any conditions agreed under paragraph 1, which could materially affect the terms or extent of the imprisonment. The Court shall be given at least 45 days' notice of any such known or foreseeable circumstances. During this period, the State of enforcement shall take no action that might prejudice its obligations under article 110.

(b) Where the Court cannot agree to the circumstances referred to in subparagraph (a), it shall notify the State of enforcement and proceed in accordance with article 104, paragraph 1.

3. In exercising its discretion to make a designation under paragraph 1, the Court shall take into account the following:

(a) The principle that States Parties should share the responsibility for enforcing sentences of imprisonment, in accordance with principles of equitable distribution, as provided in the Rules of Procedure and Evidence;

(b) The application of widely accepted international treaty standards governing the treatment of prisoners;

(c) The views of the sentenced person;

(d) The nationality of the sentenced person;

(e) Such other factors regarding the circumstances of the crime or the person sentenced, or the effective enforcement of the sentence, as may be appropriate in designating the State of enforcement.

4. If no State is designated under paragraph 1, the sentence of imprisonment shall be served in a prison facility made available by the host State, in accordance with the conditions set out in the headquarters agreement referred to in article 3, paragraph 2. In such a case, the costs arising out of the enforcement of a sentence of imprisonment shall be borne by the Court.