Postponement of execution of ICC request

Japan

Japan - ICC Cooperation Act 2007 EN

Chapter II Cooperation with the International Criminal Court

Section 2 Provision of Evidence, etc.

Subsection 1 Provision of Evidence

(Measures by the Minister of Justice)
Article 6 (1) (v) when complying with the request for cooperation would risk obstructing an investigation or trial in a case that is connected with a crime other than the offense underlying the cooperation request, and that is being investigated by a Japanese public prosecutor, public prosecutor's assistant officer, or judicial police official or is pending before a Japanese court, and the Minister of Justice finds it unreasonable to immediately comply with said request;

Chapter II Cooperation with the International Criminal Court

Section 2 Provision of Evidence, etc.

Subsection 1 Provision of Evidence

(Notification of Non-cooperation)
Article 12 After taking measures under the provisions of Article 6, paragraph (2), item (ii) or (iii) or paragraph (3) of said Article, when the Minister of Justice finds that the case falls under any of the provisions of paragraph (1), items (i) through (iv) of said Article and decides not to cooperate through provision of evidence, he/she shall notify the person who received the documents that were sent concerning the request for cooperation through provision of evidence to that effect without delay.
(Consultation with the Minister of Foreign Affairs, etc.)
Article 13 (1) The Minister of Justice shall consult with the Minister of Foreign Affairs in advance in a case that falls under any of the following items:

(i) when deciding not to cooperate through provision of evidence, on the basis that the case falls under any of the provisions of Article 6, paragraph (1), items (i) through (iii);
(ii) when postponing cooperation through provision of evidence, on the basis that the case falls under either of the provisions of Article 6, paragraph (1), item (v) or (vi); or
(iii) when setting the conditions set forth in Article 11.

(2) The provisions of Article 16, paragraph (2) of the Act on International Assistance in Investigations and Other Related Matters shall apply mutatis mutandis to where the Minister of Justice decides to take the measures set forth in any of the items of Article 6, paragraph (2) with regard to a request for cooperation through provision of evidence.

Chapter II Cooperation with the International Criminal Court

Section 3 Surrender of an Offender Sought for Surrender, etc.

Subsection 1 Surrender of an Offender Sought for Surrender

(Measures by the Minister of Justice)
Article 20 (1) (iv) when complying with the request for cooperation would risk obstructing the investigation or trial in a case connected with a crime other than the offense underlying the cooperation request, that is being investigated by a Japanese public prosecutor, public prosecutor's assistant officer, or judicial police official, or a case connected with a crime other than the offense underlying the cooperation request (limited to a crime committed by a person other than the offender sought for surrender), that is pending before a Japanese court, and it is found inappropriate to immediately comply with said request;

Chapter II Cooperation with the International Criminal Court

Section 3 Surrender of an Offender Sought for Surrender, etc.

Subsection 1 Surrender of an Offender Sought for Surrender

(Postponement of an Order for the Surrender of an Offender Sought for Surrender)
Article 26 (1) In the case prescribed in paragraph (1) of the preceding Article (limited to where the offense underlying the surrender request constitutes a serious crime), when the Minister of Justice finds that the case falls under either of the following items and that it is unreasonable to immediately effect the surrender of an offender sought for surrender, he/she may postpone the order for surrender notwithstanding the provisions of said paragraph:

(i) when a case connected with a crime other than the offense underlying the surrender request, that has been committed by the offender sought for surrender is pending before a Japanese court; or
(ii) when the offender sought for surrender has been sentenced to punishment by a Japanese court with regard to a case prescribed in the preceding item, and he/she has neither served out the sentence nor come to no longer be subject to the execution thereof.

(2) When the Minister of Justice postpones an order for the surrender of an offender sought for surrender pursuant to the provisions of the preceding paragraph, he/she shall notify the Superintending Prosecutor of the Tokyo High Public Prosecutors Office to that effect, and shall order the Superintending Prosecutor of the Tokyo High Public Prosecutors Office to suspend the detention of the offender sought for surrender who is being detained under the detention permit.

(3) When an order under the provisions of the preceding paragraph has been issued, a public prosecutor of the Tokyo High Public Prosecutors Office shall immediately suspend the detention of the offender sought for surrender who is being detained under the detention permit. In this case, the provisions of the second sentence of Article 24, paragraph (5) shall apply mutatis mutandis.

(4) After ordering the suspension of a detention under the provisions of paragraph (2), when the case has ceased to fall under either of the provisions of the items of paragraph (1) or when the grounds for finding that it is unreasonable to surrender the offender sought for surrender have ceased to exist, the Minister of Justice shall issue an order for the surrender thereof pursuant to the provisions of paragraph (1) of the preceding Article to the Superintending Prosecutor of the Tokyo High Public Prosecutors Office.

(5) Where the order of surrender set forth in the preceding paragraph has been issued, a public prosecutor of the Tokyo High Public Prosecutors Office shall rescind the suspension of the detention under the provisions of paragraph (3).

(6) The provisions of Article 22, paragraphs (3) through (6) of the Act of Extradition shall apply mutatis mutandis to where the suspension of the detention of an offender sought for surrender has been rescinded pursuant to the provisions of the preceding paragraph.

Rome Statute

Article 94 Postponement of execution of a request in respect of ongoing investigation or prosecution

1. If the immediate execution of a request would interfere with an ongoing investigation or prosecution of a case different from that to which the request relates, the requested State may postpone the execution of the request for a period of time agreed upon with the Court. However, the postponement shall be no longer than is necessary to complete the relevant investigation or prosecution in the requested State. Before making a decision to postpone, the requested State should consider whether the assistance may be immediately provided subject to certain conditions.

2. If a decision to postpone is taken pursuant to paragraph 1, the Prosecutor may, however, seek measures to preserve evidence, pursuant to article 93, paragraph 1 (j).

Article 95 Postponement of execution of a request in respect of an admissibility challenge

Where there is an admissibility challenge under consideration by the Court pursuant to article 18 or 19, the requested State may postpone the execution of a request under this Part pending a determination by the Court, unless the Court has specifically ordered that the Prosecutor may pursue the collection of such evidence pursuant to article 18 or 19.