Competent national authority

Russian Federation

Criminal Procedural Code of the Russian Federation

Part Five. International Cooperation in the Sphere of Criminal Court Proceedings

Section XVIII. Procedure for the Interaction of Courts, Prosecutors, Investigators and the Inquest Bodies with the Corresponding Competent Bodies and Officials of Foreign States and with International Organizations

Chapter 53. Principal Provisions on the Procedure for the Interaction of the Courts, Prosecutors, Investigators and the Inquest Bodies with the Corresponding Competent Bodies and Officials of Foreign States and with International Organizations

Federal Law No. 58-FZ of June 29, 2004 amended Article 453 of this Code

Article 453. Directing an Inquiry for Legal Assistance

3. An inquiry on the performance of the procedural actions shall be forwarded through:
¥ 1) the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation concerning the issues involved in
the judicial activity of the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation;
2)the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation - on the issues involved in the judicial activity of all the courts, with the exception of the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation;
3)the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation, the Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation, the Federal Service for Control over the Traffic of Narcotics and Psychotropic Substances of the Russian Federation - with respect to the investigative actions, not requiring a judicial decision or the consent of the public prosecutor;
4)the Office of the Procurator-General of the Russian Federation - in the rest of the cases.

4. The inquiry and the documents enclosed to it shall be translated into the official language of that foreign state, to which they are directed .

Rome Statute

Article 87 Requests for cooperation: general provisions

1.

(a) The Court shall have the authority to make requests to States Parties for cooperation. The requests shall be transmitted through the diplomatic channel or any other appropriate channel as may be designated by each State Party upon ratification, acceptance, approval or accession. Subsequent changes to the designation shall be made by each State Party in accordance with the Rules of Procedure and Evidence.