Request for arrest and surrender

Belgium

Belgium - Act on Cooperation with ICC 2004 EN

TITLE II COOPERATION WITH THE INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL COURT
CHAPTER IV ARREST, TRANSFER, TRANSIT AND SURRENDER OF PERSONS TO THE COURT
SECTION I REQUESTS FOR ARREST AND SURRENDER

Article 11
In accordance with article 89 of the Statute, Belgium shall execute requests for arrest and surrender from the Court.

Article 12
If in respect of the same person Belgium receives a request for arrest and surrender from the Court and a request for extradition or surrender from another State, the central authority shall notify the Court and the requesting State and shall apply the provisions of article 90 of the Statute.

Article 13
1. A request for arrest and surrender issued by the Court in respect of a person to be found on Belgian territory shall be made in writing in accordance with article 91, paragraph 1 of the Statute, except in urgent cases as specified by said article.
The request shall be rendered enforceable by the chambre du conseil (Court in Chambers) of the place of residence of the person in question or of the place where the person was found.
2. The chambre du conseil shall verify that the identity of the person has not been mistaken and that the supporting documentation referred to in article 91 of the Statute has been provided.
3. The public prosecutor, within 24 hours of an order by the chambre du conseil refusing to render enforceable the request for arrest and surrender of the Court, may appeal that decision before the indictment chamber. The latter shall rule within eight days of hearing the public prosecutor. Its judgment shall be enforceable.
4. Within 24 hours of taking the person in question into custody, the decision making enforceable the request for arrest and surrender and the official documents annexed thereto shall be served on the person charged. The latter shall have 24 hours as from such service to enter an appeal before the indictment chamber. This appeal shall be lodged by notice to the registry of the criminal court or by notice given by the person charged to the director of the remand prison or his or her representative. The indictment chamber shall hear the public prosecutor, the person charged and the latter’s counsel within four days of the lodging of the appeal, and shall rule within eight days. Its judgment shall be enforceable. The person charged shall remain in custody pending the ruling by the indictment chamber.
5. Where the appeal is based on a violation of the principle of non bis in idem, the time period within which the indictment chamber must rule shall be suspended as from the time of the appeal until the receipt by the central authority of the response of the Court to the consultations entered into pursuant to article 89, paragraph 2 of the Statute.

CHAPTER IV
ARREST, TRANSFER, TRANSIT AND SURRENDER OF PERSONS TO THE COURT

SECTION II
REQUESTS FOR PROVISIONAL ARREST


Article 14

3. The central authority shall be notified of the provisional arrest by the investigating judge referred to in paragraph 2 above. It shall inform the Court immediately and invite it to submit a request for arrest and surrender.

Belgium - Constitution EN 1831 (2014)

Title 2 Belgians and Their Rights

Article 12

Except in the case of a flagrant offence, no one can be arrested except on the strength of a reasoned judge's order, which must be served at the time of arrest or at the latest within twenty-four hours.

Rome Statute

Article 59 Arrest proceedings in the custodial State

1. A State Party which has received a request for provisional arrest or for arrest and surrender shall immediately take steps to arrest the person in question in accordance with its laws and the provisions of Part 9.

2. A person arrested shall be brought promptly before the competent judicial authority in the custodial State which shall determine, in accordance with the law of that State, that:

(a) The warrant applies to that person;

(b) The person has been arrested in accordance with the proper process; and

(c) The person's rights have been respected.

3. The person arrested shall have the right to apply to the competent authority in the custodial State for interim release pending surrender.

4. In reaching a decision on any such application, the competent authority in the custodial State shall consider whether, given the gravity of the alleged crimes, there are urgent and exceptional circumstances to justify interim release and whether necessary safeguards exist to ensure that the custodial State can fulfil its duty to surrender the person to the Court. It shall not be open to the competent authority of the custodial State to consider whether the warrant of arrest was properly issued in accordance with article 58, paragraph 1 (a) and (b).

5. The Pre-Trial Chamber shall be notified of any request for interim release and shall make recommendations to the competent authority in the custodial State. The competent authority in the custodial State shall give full consideration to such recommendations, including any recommendations on measures to prevent the escape of the person, before rendering its decision.

6. If the person is granted interim release, the Pre-Trial Chamber may request periodic reports on the status of the interim release.

7. Once ordered to be surrendered by the custodial State, the person shall be delivered to the Court as soon as possible.

Article 89 Surrender of persons to the Court

1. The Court may transmit a request for the arrest and surrender of a person, together with the material supporting the request outlined in article 91, to any State on the territory of which that person may be found and shall request the cooperation of that State in the arrest and surrender of such a person. States Parties shall, in accordance with the provisions of this Part and the procedure under their national law, comply with requests for arrest and surrender.