Part 2
Specific provisions
Section 2

19. Disclosure and transmission of information affecting national security
1. (Constitutional provision) At the request of the International Criminal Court, judicial assistance shall be provided through the transmission of objects, documents or photocopies or by granting access to records.
2. Should the documents relate to national security, and in particular to military information, the International Criminal Court shall be consulted to ascertain whether the information can be provided by another source or in another form.
3. If the matter cannot be settled through the consultations in paragraph 2 above, the Federal Minister of Foreign Affairs, with the consent of the competent federal minister, prior to granting access to records or to the transmission of photocopies, shall check whether the interests of confidentiality significantly outweigh the interests of providing evidence for an international prosecution. Should that be the case, the International Criminal Court shall be asked for assurance of the maintenance of confidentiality and for details as to how it will be maintained.
4. The Federal Minister of Foreign Affairs shall, with the consent of the competent federal minister, check whether the assurance given as to maintaining confidentiality is to be deemed sufficient. Access to records or the transmission of photocopies is to be refused where confidentiality cannot be ensured and if there are concerns that disclosure could prejudice national security.
5. Paragraphs 2 to 4 above shall also apply where a person who has been called upon to provide information or evidence refuses to do so on the grounds that disclosure would prejudice national security.
6. Prior to being questioned on the basis of a request for judicial assistance from the International Criminal Court, a person shall be informed of his/her right to refuse to 8
answer in order to prevent the disclosure of confidential information relating to national security. This shall be noted in the record. The admissibility of the request for judicial assistance in such cases shall be decided upon in the light of paragraphs 2 to 4 above.

Article 54
Duties and powers of the Prosecutor with respect to investigations
3. The Prosecutor may:
(e) Agree not to disclose, at any stage of the proceedings, documents or information that the Prosecutor obtains on the condition of confidentiality and solely for the purpose of generating new evidence, unless the provider of the information consents; and
(f) Take necessary measures, or request that necessary measures be taken, to ensure the confidentiality of information, the protection of any person or the preservation of evidence.

Article 72
Protection of national security information
3. Nothing in this article shall prejudice the requirements of confidentiality applicable under article 54, paragraph 3 (e) and (f), or the application of article 73.

Article 73
Third-party information or documents
If a State Party is requested by the Court to provide a document or information in its custody, possession or control, which was disclosed to it in confidence by a State, intergovernmental organization or international organization, it shall seek the consent of the originator to disclose that document or information. If the originator is a State Party, it shall either consent to disclosure of the information or document or undertake to resolve the issue of disclosure with the Court, subject to the provisions of article 72. If the originator is not a State Party and refuses to consent to disclosure, the requested State shall inform the Court that it is unable to provide the document or information because of a pre-existing obligation of confidentiality to the originator.