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.

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

Article 18
1. Where the decision making enforceable the request for arrest and surrender is final, the central authority shall immediately inform the Registrar in order to arrange the transfer.
2. The person shall be transferred to the Court as soon as possible and, in any event, within three months of the date of the transfer decision. The transfer shall take place in compliance with the relevant provisions of the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms.
3. The person in question shall be transferred to the Court on the date and according to the arrangements agreed between the central authority and the Registrar. Should circumstances render transfer on the agreed date impossible, the central authority and the Registrar shall agree on a new date and on the transfer arrangements.

Rome Statute

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.

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.

3.

(a) A State Party shall authorize, in accordance with its national procedural law, transportation through its territory of a person being surrendered to the Court by another State, except where transit through that State would impede or delay the surrender.

(b) A request by the Court for transit shall be transmitted in accordance with article 87. The request for transit shall contain:

(i) A description of the person being transported;

(ii) A brief statement of the facts of the case and their legal characterization; and

(iii) The warrant for arrest and surrender;

(c) A person being transported shall be detained in custody during the period of transit;

(d) No authorization is required if the person is transported by air and no landing is scheduled on the territory of the transit State;

(e) If an unscheduled landing occurs on the territory of the transit State, that State may require a request for transit from the Court as provided for in subparagraph (b). The transit State shall detain the person being transported until the request for transit is received and the transit is effected, provided that detention for purposes of this subparagraph may not be extended beyond 96 hours from the unscheduled landing unless the request is received within that time.

4. If the person sought is being proceeded against or is serving a sentence in the requested State for a crime different from that for which surrender to the Court is sought, the requested State, after making its decision to grant the request, shall consult with the Court.