'Provisional arrest for ICC proceedings - national procedures' in document 'Belgium Cooperation Act 2004'

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RELEVANT SECTIONS OF THE IMPLEMENTING LEGISLATION

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

Article 14
1. In accordance with article 92 of the Statute, in urgent cases the Court may request, by any medium capable of delivering a written record, the provisional arrest of the person sought. The request shall contain the material referred to in article 92, paragraph 2 of the Statute pending the transmission of the material referred to in article 91 of the Statute.
2. The request for provisional arrest shall be executed on the basis of an arrest warrant issued by the investigating judge of the place where the person in question has his or her residence or was found. The arrest warrant must be served within 24 hours of the person in question being taken into custody. The investigating judge shall verify that the identity of the person has not been mistaken and that the material referred to in article 92, paragraph 2 of the Statute has been provided.
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.
4. The person under provisional arrest shall be brought within five days before the chambre du conseil of the place where the person has his or her residence or was found. It shall verify that there was no mistake as to the identity of the person and that the supporting material referred to in article 92, paragraph 2 of the Statute has been provided. After hearing the public prosecutor, the person charged and the latter’s counsel, the chambre du conseil shall decide within the time period referred to above whether it is warranted to maintain the provisional arrest. In the event of a challenge to the provisional arrest on the basis of a violation of the principle of non bis in idem, the time period within which the chambre du conseil must rule on this point shall be suspended for the duration of the consultations between the central authority and the Court referred to in article 89, paragraph 2 of the Statute.
5. The public prosecutor and the person charged may lodge an appeal before the indictment chamber within 24 hours of the order of the chambre du conseil. The person charged shall remain in custody until the end of that time period. The indictment chamber shall rule within eight days of hearing the public prosecutor, the person charged and the latter’s counsel. If the appeal hinges on a challenge for a violation of the principle of non bis in idem, the time period within which the indictment chamber must rule on this point shall be suspended for the duration of the consultations between the central authority and the Court referred to in article 89, paragraph 2 of the Statute. The person charged shall remain in custody pending a ruling on the appeal.

Article 15
In accordance with article 92 of the Statute, a person under provisional arrest shall in all cases be released from custody if the central authority has not received the request for arrest and surrender and the supporting documentation specified in article 91 of the Statute within three months of the date of provisional arrest.

RELEVANT ROME STATUTE PROVISIONS

Article 92
Provisional arrest
1. In urgent cases, the Court may request the provisional arrest of the person sought, pending presentation of the request for surrender and the documents supporting the request as specified in article 91.
2. The request for provisional arrest shall be made by any medium capable of delivering a written record and shall contain:
(a) Information describing the person sought, sufficient to identify the person, and information as to that person's probable location;
(b) A concise statement of the crimes for which the person's arrest is sought and of the facts which are alleged to constitute those crimes, including, where possible, the date and location of the crime;
(c) A statement of the existence of a warrant of arrest or a judgement of conviction against the person sought; and
(d) A statement that a request for surrender of the person sought will follow.
3. A person who is provisionally arrested may be released from custody if the requested State has not received the request for surrender and the documents supporting the request as specified in article 91 within the time limits specified in the Rules of Procedure and Evidence. However, the person may consent to surrender before the expiration of this period if permitted by the law of the requested State. In such a case, the requested State shall proceed to surrender the person to the Court as soon as possible.
4. The fact that the person sought has been released from custody pursuant to paragraph 3 shall not prejudice the subsequent arrest and surrender of that person if the request for surrender and the documents supporting the request are delivered at a later date.