'Consultations with the Court' in document 'Samoa: ICC Act'

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RELEVANT SECTIONS OF THE IMPLEMENTING LEGISLATION

PART III
GENERAL PROVISIONS RELATING TO REQUESTS FOR ASSISTANCE

33. Response to requests -

(1) The Minister shall notify the ICC without undue delay, of the person’s response to a request for assistance and the outcome of any action that has been taken to execute the request.

(2) Before deciding to postpone or refuse a request the Minister shall consult with the ICC to ascertain whether the assistance sought could be provided subject to conditions or at a later date or in an alternative manner.

PART III
GENERAL PROVISIONS RELATING TO REQUESTS FOR ASSISTANCE

34. Consultations -

(1) Where the Minister receives a request under this Part in relation to which the Minister identifies problems which may impede or prevent the execution of the request, the Minister shall consult with the Court without delay in order to resolve the matter.

(2) Problems identified under subsection (1) may include:

(a) insufficient information to execute the request;
(b) in the case of a request for surrender, the person sought cannot be located or that the investigation conducted has determined that the person in Samoa is clearly not the person named in the warrant; or
(c) the fact that execution of the request in its current form would require the requested State to breach a pre-existing treaty obligation undertaken with respect to another State.

PART IV
ARREST AND SURRENDER OF PERSON TO ICC

39. Postponement of execution of request for arrest and surrender -

(1) The Minister may postpone the execution of a request for arrest and surrender at any time before the surrender of the person only if –

(c) the Minister is consulting with the ICC under section 32 as to whether or not article 98 of the Statute applies to the execution of the request.

PART IV
ARREST AND SURRENDER OF PERSON TO ICC

39. Postponement of execution of request for arrest and surrender -

(3) If the execution of the request for arrest and surrender is postponed under subsection (1)(b), the Minister shall consult with the ICC and agree on a period of time for postponement of the execution of the request in accordance with article 94 of the Statute, and the Minister shall proceed with execution of the request after the lapse of that period, unless otherwise agreed with the ICC.

PART IV
ARREST AND SURRENDER OF PERSON TO ICC

44. Application for bail -

(2) Where an application for bail is made under subsection (1), the Judge shall adjourn the hearing of the application and notify the Minister.

(3) The Minister shall, on receipt of a notification under subsection (2), consult immediately with the ICC to obtain any recommendations from the Pre-Trial Chamber under article 59(5) of the Statute, and shall convey those recommendations to the Judge.

PART V
REQUESTS FOR OTHER TYPES OF ASSISTANCE


76. National Security -

(1) Where -

(a) the ICC requests assistance under Part V for the production of documents or the taking of evidence and the Minister is of the opinion that the production of such documents or the disclosure of such evidence would be prejudicial to the national security of Samoa; or
(b) a person is required to disclose information to, or give evidence before the ICC and the person refuses to do so on the ground that the disclosure of such information or the giving of such evidence would be prejudicial to the national security of Samoa and the Minister confirms that in the person’s opinion the disclosure of such information or the giving of such evidence would be prejudicial to the national security of Samoa; or
(c) the Minister is of the opinion that the disclosure of information to, or giving of evidence before the ICC in circumstances other than the circumstances referred to in paragraphs (a) and (b) would be prejudicial to the national security of Samoa, the Minister shall consult with the ICC and take reasonable steps to resolve the matter in accordance with article 72(5) of the Statute.

(2) If, after consultation with the ICC, the Minister considers that there are no means or conditions under which the information, documents or evidence requested could be provided, disclosed or given without prejudice to the national security of Samoa, the Minister may refuse the request for the production of such document or the disclosure of such evidence or refuse the authorisation of the production of such document or the disclosure of such information and shall specify to the ICC, the person’s reasons for doing so, unless the specification of those reasons would itself be, in the person’s opinion, prejudicial to the national security of Samoa.

PART V
REQUESTS FOR OTHER TYPES OF ASSISTANCE


77. Postponement of execution of request for assistance -

(1) The Minister may postpone the execution of a request for assistance under this Part only if -

(d) there are competing requests for assistance from ICC and a state, and the Minister in consultation with ICC and the state decides to postpone the execution of the ICC’s request.

PART V
REQUESTS FOR OTHER TYPES OF ASSISTANCE


77. Postponement of execution of request for assistance -

(3) If the execution of the request for assistance is postponed under subsection (1)(b), the Minister shall consult with the ICC and agree on a period of time for postponement ofthe execution of the request in accordance with article 94 of the Statute; and the Minister shall proceed with execution of the request after the lapse of the period, unless otherwise agreed with the ICC.

PART VI
ENFORCEMENT OF SENTENCES AND ORDERS OF THE ICC IN SAMOA


99. Enforcement of orders for victim reparation -

(6) The Minister shall consult with the ICC as to whether the funds realized through the enforcement of an order under this section should be transferred directly to specified victims or through the Victims Fund of the ICC.

RELEVANT ROME STATUTE PROVISIONS

Article 89
Surrender of persons to the Court
2. Where the person sought for surrender brings a challenge before a national court on the basis of the principle of ne bis in idem as provided in article 20, the requested State shall immediately consult with the Court to determine if there has been a relevant ruling on admissibility. If the case is admissible, the requested State shall proceed with the execution of the request. If an admissibility ruling is pending, the requested State may postpone the execution of the request for surrender of the person until the Court makes a determination on admissibility.
4. If the person sought is being proceeded against or is serving a sentence in the requested State for a crime different from that for which surrender to the Court is sought, the requested State, after making its decision to grant the request, shall consult with the Court.

Article 91
Contents of request for arrest and surrender
4. Upon the request of the Court, a State Party shall consult with the Court, either generally or with respect to a specific matter, regarding any requirements under its national law that may apply under paragraph 2 (c). During the consultations, the State Party shall advise the Court of the specific requirements of its national law.

Article 93
Other forms of cooperation
3. Where execution of a particular measure of assistance detailed in a request presented under paragraph 1, is prohibited in the requested State on the basis of an existing fundamental legal principle of general application, the requested State shall promptly consult with the Court to try to resolve the matter. In the consultations, consideration should be given to whether the assistance can be rendered in another manner or subject to conditions. If after consultations the matter cannot be resolved, the Court shall modify the request as necessary.
9. (a) (i) In the event that a State Party receives competing requests, other than for surrender or extradition, from the Court and from another State pursuant to an international obligation, the State Party shall endeavour, in consultation with the Court and the other State, to meet both requests, if necessary by postponing or attaching conditions to one or the other request.

Article 96
Contents of request for other forms of assistance under article 93
3. Upon the request of the Court, a State Party shall consult with the Court, either generally or with respect to a specific matter, regarding any requirements under its national law that may apply under paragraph 2 (e). During the consultations, the State Party shall advise the Court of the specific requirements of its national law.

Article 97
Consultations
Where a State Party receives a request under this Part in relation to which it identifies problems which may impede or prevent the execution of the request, that State shall consult with the Court without delay in order to resolve the matter. Such problems may include, inter alia:
(a) Insufficient information to execute the request;
(b) In the case of a request for surrender, the fact that despite best efforts, the person sought cannot be located or that the investigation conducted has determined that the person in the requested State is clearly not the person named in the warrant; or
(c) The fact that execution of the request in its current form would require the requested State to breach a pre-existing treaty obligation undertaken with respect to another State.