International assistance in criminal matters

Russian Federation

Criminal Procedural Code of the Russian Federation

Part One. General Provisions

Section III. Proof and Proving

Chapter 13. Measures of Restriction

Article 108. Taking into Custody

5. The adoption of the court's pre-trial restraining order in the form of detention without the accused's absence is permitted only in case when an international search for the accused is announced .

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 55. Handing Over the Person Sentenced to the Deprivation of Freedom, for Serving the Sentence in the State of Which He Is a Citizen

Federal Law No. 58-FZ of June 29, 2004 amended Article 469 of this Code


Article 469. Grounds for Handing Over the Person Sentenced to Deprivation of Liberty

Seen as the grounds for handing over the person sentenced by a court of the Russian Federation to deprivation of freedom, for serving the sentence in the state of which he is a citizen, as well as for handing over a citizen of the Russian Federation sentenced by a court of a foreign state to the deprivation of liberty, for serving the sentence in the Russian Federation, shall be the court decision based on the results of considering the proposal of the federal executive body authorised in the sphere of the execution of penalties or the application of the convict or a representative thereof, as well as of the competent authority of a foreign state in compliance with an international treaty of the Russian Federation or an agreement in writing between the competent authority of the Russian Federation and the competent authority of the foreign state on the basis of the principle of reciprocity.


Article 470. Procedure for Considering by Court the Issues Connected with Handing Over a Person
Sentenced to Deprivation of Liberty

Federal Law No. 58-FZ of June 29, 2004 amended part 1 of Article 470 of this Code

1. The proposal of the federal executive body authorised in the sphere of the execution of penalties, as well as an application of the convict, a representative thereof, or the competent authority of a foreign state on handing over a person sentenced to deprivation of liberty for serving his/her sentence in the state of which this person is a citizen, shall be considered by the court in the procedure and within the time period which are established by Articles 396, 397 and 399 of this Code subject to the requirements of this Article and Articles 471 to 472 of this Code.

2. Where it is impossible for the court to consider the issue of handing over the convict due to the incompleteness or absence of required data, the judge shall be entitled to postpone its consideration and to request for missing data or to direct the convict's application without consideration thereof to the competent authority of the Russian Federation for collecting required information in compliance with regulations of an international treaty of the Russian Federation, as well as for the preliminary coordination of the issue on the convict's handing over with the competent authority of a foreign state.


Article 471. Reasons for the Refusal to Hand Over the Person Sentenced to Deprivation of Liberty for Serving Punishment in the State of Which He/She Is a Citizen

Handing over of the person, sentenced to deprivation of liberty by a court of the Russian Federation for serving the term in the state of which he/she is a citizen, may be refused in cases, when:
• 1) none of the deeds for which the person is convicted, is recognized as a crime in accordance with the legislation of the state of which he is a citizen;
2) the punishment cannot be executed in the foreign state as a result of:
 a) the expiry of the term of legal limitation or for other grounds,
stipulated by the legislation of this state;
b) non-recognition by a court or other competent authority of a foreign state of the sentence passed by a court of the Russian Federation without establishing the procedure for, and terms of, the convict's serving punishment on the territory of the foreign state;
c) incompatibility of the terms of, and procedure for, serving punishment by the convict determined by a court or other competent authority of the foreign state;
• 3) guarantees of execution of the sentence in the part of the civil claim have not been received from the convict or from the foreign state;
4) no consensus is reached on handing over the convict on the terms, stipulated by an international treaty of the Russian Federation;
5) the convict has a permanent place of residence in the Russian Federation.


Article 472. Procedure for the Court's Resolution of Questions Involved in Execution of the Sentence Passed by Court of a Foreign State

1. If a court, when considering a presentation (application) for passing over a citizen of the Russian Federation sentenced to deprivation of liberty by a court of a foreign state, comes to the conclusion that the deed for which the citizen of the Russian Federation is convicted is not a crime under the laws of the Russian Federation, or the sentence of the foreign state's court may not be executed by virtue of the expiry of the limitation period, as well as for any other reason provided for by laws of the Russian Federation or an international treaty of the Russian Federation, it shall issue a ruling on the refusal to recognize the sentence of the foreign state's court.

2. In all other instances the court shall issue a decision on the recognition and execution of the foreign state's sentence, and shall indicate the following:
• 1) the title of the foreign state's court, the date and place of passing the sentence;
2) data on the last place of residence of the convict in the Russian Federation, on his/her place of employment and occupation prior to sentencing;
3) the description of the crime, of whose commission the convict is found guilty, and the criminal law of the foreign state under which he/she is convicted;
4) the article of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation under which the crime committed by the convict is punishable;
5) the type and term of the inflicted punishment (principal and additional ones), the served term and the term of punishment which the convict has to serve in the Russian Federation, the start and end thereof, the type of correctional facility, the procedure for indemnification under a civil claim.

3. If under the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation the maximum term of deprivation of liberty for a given crime is less than that inflicted under the sentence of the foreign state's court, the court shall determine the maximum term of liberty deprivation for committing this crime provided for by the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. If under the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation deprivation of liberty is not provided for as a punishment for the crime committed by the person, the court shall determine another punishment matching the maximum punishment inflicted under the sentence of the foreign state's court within the limits established by the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation for this crime.

4. Where the sentence of a foreign state's court concerns two or several deeds, not all of which are crimes in the Russian Federation, the court shall determine what part of the punishment inflicted under the sentence of the foreign state's court shall apply to the deed which is criminal.

5. The court's decision shall be executed in the procedure established by Article 393 of this Code.

6. In the event of reversal or alteration of a sentence passed by a foreign state's court or of applying in respect of the person serving punishment in the Russian Federation acts of amnesty or clemency issued in the foreign state, the issues concerning the reviewed sentence of the foreign state's court, as well as the application of the acts of amnesty or clemency shall be settled in compliance with the requirements of this Article .

Rome Statute

Article 93 Other forms of cooperation

1. States Parties shall, in accordance with the provisions of this Part and under procedures of national law, comply with requests by the Court to provide the following assistance in relation to investigations or prosecutions:

(a) The identification and whereabouts of persons or the location of items;

(b) The taking of evidence, including testimony under oath, and the production of evidence, including expert opinions and reports necessary to the Court;

(c) The questioning of any person being investigated or prosecuted;

(d) The service of documents, including judicial documents;

(e) Facilitating the voluntary appearance of persons as witnesses or experts before the Court;

(f) The temporary transfer of persons as provided in paragraph 7;

(g) The examination of places or sites, including the exhumation and examination of grave sites;

(h) The execution of searches and seizures;

(i) The provision of records and documents, including official records and documents;

(j) The protection of victims and witnesses and the preservation of evidence;

(k) The identification, tracing and freezing or seizure of proceeds, property and assets and instrumentalities of crimes for the purpose of eventual forfeiture, without prejudice to the rights of bona fide third parties; and

(l) Any other type of assistance which is not prohibited by the law of the requested State, with a view to facilitating the investigation and prosecution of crimes within the jurisdiction of the Court.

2. The Court shall have the authority to provide an assurance to a witness or an expert appearing before the Court that he or she will not be prosecuted, detained or subjected to any restriction of personal freedom by the Court in respect of any act or omission that preceded the departure of that person from the requested State.

3. Where execution of a particular measure of assistance detailed in a request presented under paragraph 1, is prohibited in the requested State on the basis of an existing fundamental legal principle of general application, the requested State shall promptly consult with the Court to try to resolve the matter. In the consultations, consideration should be given to whether the assistance can be rendered in another manner or subject to conditions. If after consultations the matter cannot be resolved, the Court shall modify the request as necessary.

4. In accordance with article 72, a State Party may deny a request for assistance, in whole or in part, only if the request concerns the production of any documents or disclosure of evidence which relates to its national security.

5. Before denying a request for assistance under paragraph 1 (l), the requested State shall consider whether the assistance can be provided subject to specified conditions, or whether the assistance can be provided at a later date or in an alternative manner, provided that if the Court or the Prosecutor accepts the assistance subject to conditions, the Court or the Prosecutor shall abide by them.

6. If a request for assistance is denied, the requested State Party shall promptly inform the Court or the Prosecutor of the reasons for such denial.

7.

(a) The Court may request the temporary transfer of a person in custody for purposes of identification or for obtaining testimony or other assistance. The person may be transferred if the following conditions are fulfilled:

(i) The person freely gives his or her informed consent to the transfer; and

(ii) The requested State agrees to the transfer, subject to such conditions as that State and the Court may agree.

(b) The person being transferred shall remain in custody. When the purposes of the transfer have been fulfilled, the Court shall return the person without delay to the requested State.

8.

(a) The Court shall ensure the confidentiality of documents and information, except as required for the investigation and proceedings described in the request.

(b) The requested State may, when necessary, transmit documents or information to the Prosecutor on a confidential basis. The Prosecutor may then use them solely for the purpose of generating new evidence.

(c) The requested State may, on its own motion or at the request of the Prosecutor, subsequently consent to the disclosure of such documents or information. They may then be used as evidence pursuant to the provisions of Parts 5 and 6 and in accordance with the Rules of Procedure and Evidence.

9.

(a)

(i) In the event that a State Party receives competing requests, other than for surrender or extradition, from the Court and from another State pursuant to an international obligation, the State Party shall endeavour, in consultation with the Court and the other State, to meet both requests, if necessary by postponing or attaching conditions to one or the other request.

(ii) Failing that, competing requests shall be resolved in accordance with the principles established in article 90.

(b) Where, however, the request from the Court concerns information, property or persons which are subject to the control of a third State or an international organization by virtue of an international agreement, the requested States shall so inform the Court and the Court shall direct its request to the third State or international organization.

10.

(a) The Court may, upon request, cooperate with and provide assistance to a State Party conducting an investigation into or trial in respect of conduct which constitutes a crime within the jurisdiction of the Court or which constitutes a serious crime under the national law of the requesting State.

(b)

(i) The assistance provided under subparagraph (a) shall include, inter alia:

a. The transmission of statements, documents or other types of evidence obtained in the course of an investigation or a trial conducted by the Court; and

b. The questioning of any person detained by order of the Court;

(ii) In the case of assistance under subparagraph (b) (i) a:

a. If the documents or other types of evidence have been obtained with the assistance of a State, such transmission shall require the consent of that State;

b. If the statements, documents or other types of evidence have been provided by a witness or expert, such transmission shall be subject to the provisions of article 68.

(c) The Court may, under the conditions set out in this paragraph, grant a request for assistance under this paragraph from a State which is not a Party to this Statute.