Request for arrest and surrender

Liechtenstein

Liechtenstein - Cooperation with the ICC 2004 EN

II. Specific provisions

C. Search

Article 23
(1) Should the International Criminal Court or an International Tribunal request a search for arrest or should the Liechtenstein authorities learn otherwise of an order for arrest from the Court or Tribunal, the princely court shall seek the arrest of the person for the purpose of surrender to the International Criminal Court or International Tribunal if the request or order for arrest contains the necessary details about the person sought and the alleged offence. Referral to the court competent pursuant to Article 27(1) of the law on judicial assistance is not required if the person sought is not a Liechtenstein national or if there is no reason to believe that the person is in Liechtenstein.

(2) Should a person sought by the International Criminal Court or International Tribunal be searched for or arrested in Liechtenstein, the Ministry of Justice shall inform the Court or Tribunal thereof through the International Criminal Police Organisation (INTERPOL).

II. Specific provisions

D. Custody pending surrender, surrender and transit

Custody pending surrender and orders for surrender

Article 27
(a) at the request of the International Criminal Court

(5) Until surrender is ordered the accused person has the right to apply for interim release. When deciding on such an application it shall be ascertained whether there are urgent and exceptional circumstances which justify interim release and whether the purpose of detention may be achieved by more lenient means (paragraph 131(5) of the Code of Criminal Procedure) regardless of the gravity of the alleged crimes. Such an application shall have no suspensive effect.

(6) An application pursuant to paragraph 5 shall be notified to the International Criminal Court, indicating that it has the right to submit a recommendation within seven days. The recommendation shall be taken into consideration in the decision on the application for release.

(7) Should the International Criminal Court in its recommendation or the public prosecutor plead against the release of the accused person, the President of the Court of Appeal shall promptly decide on the application in a custody hearing.

(8) A decision dismissing the application for interim release by the accused person may be appealed against by the latter within three days before the Court of Appeal. Such an appeal shall have no suspensive effect.

(9) Orders into custody pending surrender and orders for surrender may be appealed against solely pursuant to Article 15 of the Law on the Constitutional Court. The order initiating the surrender process is not open to appeal.

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.