Admissibility challenge - ne bis in idem

Poland

Chapter 66a. Co-operation with the International Criminal Court

Chapter 66a. Co-operation with the International Criminal Court

Art. 611h.§ 1. In the event of a request of the Court for surrender of a person to the Court, as defined in the provisions of the Statute, prior to the first examination, the person whom the request concerns should be advised of his/her rights, as specified in the Statute, and of the possibility of raising an objection that a penal proceedings against him/her with regard to the conduct referred to in the request for surrender has been validly completed.

§ 2. Whenever circumstances occur which justify the objection referred to in § 1, a court shall notify the Minister of Justice thereof, and the latter may postpone the execution of a request for surrender.

§ 3. When adjudicating in a matter concerning the admissibility of surrender, the provisions of Art. 604 shall not apply.

§ 4. If, after a court’s positive decision on admissibility of surrender of a person to the Court, the Minister of Justice postpones the execution of the request for the surrender due to the penal proceedings pending in the Republic of Poland or due to the fact that such person is serving a sentence of imprisonment for another offence, the person whom the request concerns may be temporarily surrendered to the Court subject to the terms and conditions established in consultation with the Court.

§ 5. The consultation with the Court, as referred to in § 4, shall be carried out by the Minister of Justice.

Rome Statute

Article 19 Challenges to the jurisdiction of the Court or the admissibility of a case

2. Challenges to the admissibility of a case on the grounds referred to in article 17 or challenges to the jurisdiction of the Court may be made by:

(a) An accused or a person for whom a warrant of arrest or a summons to appear has been issued under article 58;

(b) A State which has jurisdiction over a case, on the ground that it is investigating or prosecuting the case or has investigated or prosecuted; or

(c) A State from which acceptance of jurisdiction is required under article 12.

Article 20 Ne bis in idem

1. Except as provided in this Statute, no person shall be tried before the Court with respect to conduct which formed the basis of crimes for which the person has been convicted or acquitted by the Court.

2. No person shall be tried by another court for a crime referred to in article 5 for which that person has already been convicted or acquitted by the Court.

3. No person who has been tried by another court for conduct also proscribed under article 6, 7, 8 or 8 bis shall be tried by the Court with respect to the same conduct unless the proceedings in the other court:

(a) Were for the purpose of shielding the person concerned from criminal responsibility for crimes within the jurisdiction of the Court; or

(b) Otherwise were not conducted independently or impartially in accordance with the norms of due process recognized by international law and were conducted in a manner which, in the circumstances, was inconsistent with an intent to bring the person concerned to justice.

Article 89 Surrender of persons to the Court

2. Where the person sought for surrender brings a challenge before a national court on the basis of the principle of ne bis in idem as provided in article 20, the requested State shall immediately consult with the Court to determine if there has been a relevant ruling on admissibility. If the case is admissible, the requested State shall proceed with the execution of the request. If an admissibility ruling is pending, the requested State may postpone the execution of the request for surrender of the person until the Court makes a determination on admissibility.