ARTICLE I
TITLE I CO-OPERATION WITH THE INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL COURT
CHAPTER I JUDICIAL CO-OPERATION
SECTION 1: MUTUAL JUDICIAL ASSISTANCE

Article 627

(Ordinance no. 60-259 of 4 June 1959 art. 8 Official Journal of 8 June 1960)
(Act no. 2000-1354 of 30 December 2000 art. 28 Official Journal of 31 December 2000)
(Act no. 2002-268 of 26 February 2002 art. 1 Official Journal of 27 February 2002)

For the application of the International Criminal court statute of 18th July 1998, France takes part in the punishment of offences and co-operates with this court under the conditions determined by the present title.
The provisions which follow apply to any person prosecuted by the International Criminal Court or convicted by this court of acts which constitute genocide, crimes against humanity or war crimes, in the sense of articles 6 to 8 and 25 of the statute.

Article 627-1

(Inserted by Law no. 2002-268 of 26 February 2002 art. 1 Official Journal of 27 February 2002)

Requests for mutual assistance issued by the International Criminal Court are sent to the competent authorities in accordance with article 87 of the statute. The original document or a certified copy may be sent, accompanied by supporting evidence.
These documents are sent to the district prosecutor of Paris, who takes appropriate action.
In urgent cases, these documents may be sent directly to him, by any available means. They are then sent on in the forms provided for in the previous paragraphs.

Article 627-2

(Inserted by Law no. 2002-268 of 26 February 2002 art. 1 Official Journal of 27 February 2002)

Requests for mutual assistance are carried out, according to the case, by the district prosecutor or the investigating judge of Paris, who act on behalf of the whole French territory, if necessary in the presence of the prosecutor of the International Criminal Court or his representative, or any other person mentioned in the International Criminal Court’s request.
The official records made during the carrying out of these requests are sent to the International Criminal Court by the competent authorities, in accordance with article 87 of the statute.
In urgent cases, certified copies of the official records may be sent directly to the International Criminal Court. The official records are sent on afterwards in the forms provided for in the previous paragraphs.

Article 627-3

(Inserted by Law no. 2002-268 of 26 February 2002 art. 1 Official Journal of 27 February 2002)

The implementation of the protective measures, described in section k of paragraph 1 of article 93 of the statute, over the whole of the French territory at the Treasury’s expense and in accordance with the methods set out in the new Code of Civil Procedure, is ordered by the district prosecutor of Paris. These measures may only remain in place for a maximum of two years. However, they may be renewed under the same conditions before the expiry of this period at the International Criminal Court’s request.

The district prosecutor of Paris transmits to the competent authorities, under article 87 of the statute, any difficulty relating to the execution of these measures, in order that the consultations provided for in articles 93, paragraph 3, and 97 of the statute may take place.