Article 18
Costs
1. The ordinary costs for the enforcement of the sentence in the territory of Austria shall be borne by Austria.
2. Other costs, including those for the transport of the sentenced person to and from the seat of the Court and those of any expert opinion or report requested by the Court, shall be borne by the Court.
3. In case of escape, the costs associated with the surrender of the sentenced person shall be borne by the Court if no State assumes responsibility for them.
TITLE IV
Judicial Assistance to Foreign Countries
CHAPTER ONE
Requirements
General Principle
§ 50. (1) In accordance with the provisions of this federal law, judicial assistance may be granted in criminal matters upon a request by a foreign authority, including proceedings to order preventive measures and to issue a property-law order, as well as in matters of extinction and the register of criminal records, in proceedings to obtain compensation for confinement and conviction by a criminal
court, in clemency petition matters and in matters concerning the execution of sentences and measures. With the proviso of § 59a, the transfer of data to a foreign authority shall be admissible without such a request.
(2) An authority within the meaning of paragraph (1) shall be a court, a public prosecutor's office, or an agency concerning the execution of sentences or measures.
(3) Judicial assistance within the meaning of paragraph (1) shall be any support that is provided in connection with foreign proceedings in a criminal-law matter. It. also includes consenting to activities as part of cross-border observations on the basis of intergovernmental agreements.
TITLE IV
Judicial Assistance to Foreign Countries
CHAPTER ONE
Requirements
Sending of Objects and Case Files
§ 52. (1) Objects or case files may only be sent if it is ensured that they will be returned as soon as possible. The return of sent objects may be waived if these are no longer required.
(2) Objects to which the Republic of Austria or third parties hold a title may only be sent with the proviso that these rights remain unaffected. It shall not be admissible to send objects and case files if there is reason for concern that this would frustrate or render disproportionately complicated the prosecution or realization of these rights.
(3) Sending objects or case files should be deferred for as long as these are required for court or administrative proceedings pending in Austria.
TITLE IV
Judicial Assistance to Foreign Countries
CHAPTER TWO
Competences and Procedure
Admitting Foreign Agencies and Persons Involved in the Proceedings to Acts of Judicial Assistance
§ 59. (1) It shall not be admissible that foreign agencies perform investigations and procedural steps on the territory of the Republic of Austria under this federal law. However, the competent foreign judge, public prosecutor and other persons involved in proceedings, as well as their legal counsels shall be permitted to attend and to participate in acts of judicial assistance if this appears to be necessary for the
appropriate processing of the request for judicial assistance. The approval of the Federal Minister of Justice shall be obtained for the service operations by foreign agencies required in this context, except for cross-border observations.
(2) Persons who were allowed to attend acts of judicial assistance pursuant to paragraph (1) must not be prosecuted, punished or restricted in their personal liberty during their stay in Austria for an act committed prior to their entry to Austria. It shall, however, be admissible to prosecute, punish or restrict the personal liberty of such persons
1. if the person admitted to attend the act of judicial assistance remains on the territory of the Republic of Austria for more than fifteen days after the act of judicial assistance has been completed, although he/she was in a position and allowed to leave it, or
2. if, after leaving the territory of the Republic of Austria, he/she return at his/her own accord, or is lawfully returned.
(3) If a person who is allowed to attend an act of judicial assistance is being detained in the foreign country, he/she may be taken over at the request of the other State if the detention is based on a conviction by a competent court, or if there is a reason for detention that is also recognized under Austrian law. The transferred person shall be kept detained in Austria and be returned without delay after of the act of judicial assistance has been completed.
Chapter II
European Arrest Warrant and Surrender Procedures between Member States
Part Three
Procedure for Approval of Surrender
Launching a Surrender Procedure
§ 16. (1) The public prosecutor shall launch a surrender procedure, if a request for surrender by a Member State is received, or if it can be presumed, on the basis of specific facts that a person is staying in Austria, for whom a European arrest warrant has been issued, or that an alert for his/her apprehension has been issued under the Schengen Information System. The issuing judicial authority shall be requested to submit a European arrest warrant if the sought person is staying in Austria.
(2) In all other cases, the Federal Ministry of the Interior shall verify whether requests by other Member States for the surrender of a person, which were received by way of an automation-supported search system, by way of the International Criminal Police Organisation (INTERPOL), or by some other way of official criminal-police assistance, give rise to trigger an alert in the search instruments for his/her exploration, for the purpose of apprehending that person and committing him/her to the prison of the competent court.
Chapter II
European Arrest Warrant and Surrender Procedures between Member States
Part Three
Procedure for Approval of Surrender
Offer to Surrender
§ 17. (1) The public prosecutor shall verify, also when no European arrest warrant has been received, whether there are grounds for an offer to surrender a person apprehended in Austria to the Member State concerned if – on the basis of specific facts – it must be presumed that he/she has committed acts that are subject to the execution of such an arrest warrant.
(2) If there are grounds for offering the surrender, the public prosecutor shall apply for the launching of a surrender procedure, for the examination of the person concerned by the court and for addressing an inquiry to the judicial authority of the Member State in question.
(3) Upon application by the public prosecutor pursuant to § 18, the court shall impose detention pending surrender upon the person concerned, applying the provisions of § 29 of the ARHG in analogy, unless this appears to be inadmissible, and inquire from the judicial authority of the Member State concerned, enclosing a presentation of the facts, whether a European arrest warrant will be issued against the person concerned. A reasonable time limit shall be set for issuing such an arrest warrant, indicating that, when the time limit expires without any reaction being received, a renunciation of the surrender will be presumed, and the person concerned will be released. The time limit must never exceed 40 days, as of the apprehension of the person concerned. When the time limit expires without any reaction, the
person concerned shall be released without delay, unless the public prosecutor applies immediately that pre-trial detention be imposed upon the person concerned.
Detention Pending Surrender
§ 18. (1) A European arrest warrant or an alert pursuant to Article 95 of the Schengen Agreement Application Convention (SAAC), Federal Law Gazette III No. 90/1997, shall be deemed to be a request for implementing a surrender procedure and imposing detention pending surrender.
(2) The provisions on detention pending extradition pursuant to § 29 of the ARHG shall apply in analogy to detention pending surrender.
Chapter II
European Arrest Warrant and Surrender Procedures between Member States
Part Three
Procedure for Approval of Surrender
Executing the Surrender
§ 24. (4) In connection with the execution of a European arrest warrant, objects shall be handed over pursuant to § 25 and § 41 of the ARHG, to the extent that these items are not personal belongings of the person concerned. If objects located in Austria are subject to confiscation or forfeiture, these objects may only be handed over to the issuing State on the condition that they will be returned at the latest and free of charge, after the criminal proceedings have been finished.
Chapter II
European Arrest Warrant and Surrender Procedures between Member States
Part Four
Obtaining the Execution of a European Arrest Warrant
Search
§ 29. (1) The public prosecutor shall order the apprehension by way of a European arrest warrant authorized by a court, and, if necessary, arrange for an alert of the requested person in the Schengen Information System, pursuant to Article 95 of the SAAC, through the channels of the competent security authorities, if there is reason to launch a search for the apprehension of the requested person in at least one of the Member States. If it is not possible for an alert in the Schengen Information System to obtain a search in all Member States, the services of the International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL) shall also be used.
(2) The public prosecutor shall communicate the European arrest warrant directly to the competent executing judicial authority, if the whereabouts of the requested person in a Member State are known, or if there are certain indications for such whereabouts.
(2a) After filing the formal letter of accusation with the court the arrest on the basis of a European arrest warrant is to be ordered by the court on application of the office of public prosecution. The court in such cases also has to forward the European arrest warrant to the competent execution authority.
(3) If a Member State – in executing a European arrest warrant, which an Austrian judicial authority issues against a person who is a national of that Member State or has his/her domicile or permanent residence in that Member State – requires a guarantee that the person concerned will be returned for the enforcement of a custodial sentence or a preventive measure involving deprivation of liberty, imposed
by the Austrian court, after having been heard, the court shall give that guarantee, upon an application by the public prosecutor, if there is continued reason to execute the European arrest warrant in that Member State. The guarantee shall be binding for the Austrian judicial authorities.
Chapter III
Recognition and Enforcement of Judicial Decisions
Part Two
Execution of Decisions on Seizure by Member States
Prerequisites
§ 45. (1) With regard to the relation with Danmark and Ireland a decision on seizure of means of evidence can be taken or executed because of criminal acts carrying court punishment according to the law of the deciding State and, subject to the provision of para. 3, according to the law of the executing State.
(2) With regard to the relation with all other Member States of the European Union a decision on the freezing of property that might subsequently become subject to an order relating to property rights may be issued or executed because of criminal acts that allow freezing according to the law of the deciding State and of the executing State.
(3) For a decision pursuant to para. 1 or 2 double criminality need not be verified if the offence underlying the freezing order was assigned to one of the categories of offences listed in Annex I and carries a maximum custodial sentence of at least three years according to the law of the issuing State.
(4) The freezing order will only be executed if it is accompanied by a certificate in the form shown in Annex III. If the certificate is incomplete, or if it obviously does not correspond to the freezing order, the issuing judicial authority may be set a time limit for completing or correcting the information, if the available documents are not sufficient for a decision on the execution of the freezing order.
1. Les États Parties font droit, conformément aux dispositions du présent chapitre et aux procédures prévues par leur législation nationale, aux demandes d'assistance de la Cour liées à une enquête ou à des poursuites et concernant :
a) L'identification d'une personne, le lieu où elle se trouve ou la localisation de biens ;
b) Le rassemblement d'éléments de preuve, y compris les dépositions faites sous serment, et la production d'éléments de preuve, y compris les expertises et les rapports dont la Cour a besoin ;
c) L'interrogatoire des personnes faisant l'objet d'une enquête ou de poursuites ;
d) La signification de documents, y compris les pièces de procédure ;
e) Les mesures propres à faciliter la comparution volontaire devant la Cour de personnes déposant comme témoins ou experts ;
f) Le transfèrement temporaire de personnes en vertu du paragraphe 7 ;
g) L'examen de localités ou de sites, notamment l'exhumation et l'examen de cadavres enterrés dans des fosses communes ;
h) L'exécution de perquisitions et de saisies ;
i) La transmission de dossiers et de documents, y compris les dossiers et les documents officiels ;
j) La protection des victimes et des témoins et la préservation des éléments de preuve ;
k) L'identification, la localisation, le gel ou la saisie du produit des crimes, des biens, des avoirs et des instruments qui sont liés aux crimes, aux fins de leur confiscation éventuelle, sans préjudice des droits des tiers de bonne foi ; et
l) Toute autre forme d'assistance non interdite par la législation de l'État requis propre à faciliter l'enquête et les poursuites relatives aux crimes relevant de la compétence de la Cour.
2. La Cour est habilitée à fournir à un témoin ou à un expert comparaissant devant elle l'assurance qu'il ne sera ni poursuivi, ni détenu, ni soumis par elle à une restriction quelconque de sa liberté personnelle pour un acte ou une omission antérieurs à son départ de l'État requis.
3. Si l'exécution d'une mesure particulière d'assistance décrite dans une demande présentée en vertu du paragraphe 1 est interdite dans l'État requis en vertu d'un principe juridique fondamental d'application générale, ledit État engage sans tarder des consultations avec la Cour pour tenter de régler la question. Au cours de ces consultations, il est envisagé d'apporter l'assistance demandée sous une autre forme ou sous certaines conditions. Si la question n'est pas réglée à l'issue des consultations, la Cour modifie la demande.
4. Conformément à l'article 72, un État Partie ne peut rejeter, totalement ou partiellement, une demande d'assistance de la Cour que si cette demande a pour objet la production de documents ou la divulgation d'éléments de preuve qui touchent à sa sécurité nationale.
5. Avant de rejeter une demande d'assistance visée au paragraphe 1, alinéa l), l'État requis détermine si l'assistance peut être fournie sous certaines conditions, ou pourrait l'être ultérieurement ou sous une autre forme, étant entendu que si la Cour ou le Procureur acceptent ces conditions, ils sont tenus de les observer.
6. L'État requis qui rejette une demande d'assistance fait connaître sans retard ses raisons à la Cour ou au Procureur.
a) La Cour peut demander le transfèrement temporaire d'une personne détenue aux fins d'identification ou pour obtenir un témoignage ou d'autres formes d'assistance. Cette personne peut être transférée si les conditions suivantes sont remplies :
i) La personne donne librement et en connaissance de cause son consentement au transfèrement ; et
ii) L'État requis donne son accord au transfèrement, sous réserve des conditions dont cet État et la Cour peuvent convenir.
b) La personne transférée reste détenue. Une fois l'objectif du transfèrement atteint, la Cour renvoie sans délai cette personne dans l'État requis.
a) La Cour préserve le caractère confidentiel des pièces et renseignements recueillis, sauf dans la mesure nécessaire à l'enquête et aux procédures décrites dans la demande.
b) L'État requis peut au besoin communiquer des documents ou des renseignements au Procureur à titre confidentiel. Le Procureur ne peut alors les utiliser que pour recueillir des éléments de preuve nouveaux.
c) L'État requis peut, soit d'office, soit à la demande du Procureur, autoriser par la suite la divulgation de ces documents ou renseignements. Ceux-ci peuvent alors être utilisés comme moyen de preuve conformément aux dispositions des chapitres V et VI et au Règlement de procédure et de preuve.
i) Si un État Partie reçoit, d'une part, de la Cour et, d'autre part, d'un autre État dans le cadre d'une obligation internationale, des demandes concurrentes ayant un autre objet que la remise ou l'extradition, il s'efforce, en consultation avec la Cour et cet autre État, de faire droit aux deux demandes, au besoin en différant l'une ou l'autre ou en la subordonnant à certaines conditions.
ii) À défaut, la concurrence des demandes est résolue conformément aux principes établis à l'article 90.
b) Toutefois, lorsque la demande de la Cour concerne des renseignements, des biens ou des personnes qui se trouvent sous l'autorité d'un État tiers ou d'une organisation internationale en vertu d'un accord international, l'État requis en informe la Cour et celle-ci adresse sa demande à l'État tiers ou à l'organisation internationale.
10. a) Si elle reçoit une demande en ce sens, la Cour peut coopérer avec l'État Partie qui mène une enquête ou un procès concernant un comportement qui constitue un crime relevant de la compétence de la Cour ou un crime grave au regard du droit interne de cet État, et prêter assistance à cet État.
b)
i) Cette assistance comprend notamment :
a. La transmission de dépositions, documents et autres éléments de preuve recueillis au cours d'une enquête ou d'un procès menés par la Cour ; et
b. L'interrogatoire de toute personne détenue par ordre de la Cour ;
ii) Dans le cas visé au point a. du sous-alinéa b, i) :
a. La transmission des documents et autres éléments de preuve obtenus avec l'assistance d'un État requiert le consentement de cet État ;
b. La transmission des dépositions, documents et autres éléments de preuve fournis par un témoin ou par un expert se fait conformément aux dispositions de l'article 68.
c) La Cour peut, dans les conditions énoncées au présent paragraphe, faire droit à une demande d'assistance émanant d'un État qui n'est pas partie au présent Statut.