CHAPTER 3. COOPERATION AS REFERRED TO IN ARTICLE 93 OF THE STATUTE
§ 1. General
Section 45
1. Requests of the ICC for any form of cooperation as referred to in article 93 of the Statute shall, to the extent possible, be executed in the desired manner, having regard to the provisions of this chapter.
2. Requests of the ICC for cooperation as referred to in article 93, paragraph 1 (l) of the Statute shall be executed as quickly as possible and in the desired manner, unless this is prohibited by Dutch law.
Section 46
1. A request for cooperation as referred to in this chapter shall, to the extent possible, be executed in the manner indicated in the request, including application of the procedures described in it and consent for the persons referred to in the request to be present at and assist in the execution of the request.
2. The Dutch authorities charged with executing requests for cooperation are responsible for the safety of the persons concerned and shall accordingly be competent to impose conditions on the way in which requests for cooperation are executed.
Section 47
Where documents are to be served on or issued to third parties in compliance with a request for cooperation, this shall be done in accordance with the statutory rules governing the service and issuing of comparable Dutch documents.
Section 48
1. Our Minister may permit persons who have been lawfully deprived of their liberty in the Netherlands to be temporarily placed at the disposal of the ICC for the purpose of identification, to testify as a witness or with a view to other forms of cooperation. The person concerned shall be placed at the disposal of the ICC only if he freely gives his consent for this after having been properly informed of the consequences.
2. If the person to be placed at the disposal of the ICC under subsection 1 is serving a custodial sentence, the period during which he is placed at the disposal of the ICC shall be deducted from his sentence.
§ 2. Actions of the public prosecutor and the investigating judge
Section 49
A public prosecutor who has received a request for cooperation shall decide immediately how it is to be executed. The public prosecutor shall, if necessary, seek the assistance of the Public Prosecution Service in other court districts for the purpose of executing the request. He may refer the request to his counterpart in another court district in the interests of its speedy and efficient disposal.
Section 50
1. The public prosecutor shall transmit the request for cooperation to the investigating judge if it involves:
(a) questioning persons who are not prepared to appear voluntarily and give the requested testimony;
(b) cooperation in a hearing by the ICC of a witness or expert by means of video conferencing;
(c) an express request for a sworn statement or a statement made in the presence of a judge;
(d) seizure of documentary evidence if necessary with a view to achieving the desired result.
2. The public prosecutor may transmit the request of the ICC to the investigating judge in cases other than those referred to in subsection 1.
3. The transmission of the request shall be by means of a written application describing the action required on the part of the investigating judge.
4. The application referred to in subsection 3 may be withdrawn at any time.
Section 51
1. An application as referred to in section 50, subsection 3, has the same legal consequences as an application to initiate a preliminary judicial investigation (gerechtelijk vooronderzoek), in respect of:
(a) the powers of the investigating judge with regard to the suspects, witnesses and experts to be heard by him, as well as those with regard to the delivery or transmission of documentary evidence, the taking of measures in the interests of the investigation, and the carrying out of DNA tests, including the power to order the taking of cell material for this purpose, the entry into premises, the search of premises, the seizure of documentary evidence and investigation of data in automated databases;
(b) the powers of the public prosecutor;
(c) the rights and duties of the persons to be questioned by the investigating judge;
(d) legal assistance by counsel;
(e) the actions of the clerk.
2. Notwithstanding subsection 1, an application as referred to in section 50, subsection 3, which has been made with a view to executing a request to cooperate in a hearing by the ICC of a witness or expert by means of video conferencing, shall have the same legal consequences as an application to institute a preliminary judicial investigation in so far as it concerns the application of articles 190 paragraphs 1 and 4, 191 paragraphs 1 and 4, 210 paragraph 1 second sentence, 213, 215, 217-219a, 221-225, 226a paragraph 1, 226c paragraph 1, 226f and 236 of the Code of Criminal Procedure.
3. When a request of the ICC for cooperation is executed, no use may be made of coercive measures, other than in accordance with subsections 1 and 2.
Section 52
1. In so far as the request of the ICC for cooperation involves:
(a) telecommunication tapping;
(b) systematic surveillance of persons;
(c) infiltration;
(d) pseudo purchase or services;
(e) systematic gathering of information about a person who is under investigation;
(f) undercover entry into a closed place;
(g) the recording of a confidential communication by means of technical equipment;
(h) an exploratory investigation
the public prosecutor may exercise the powers granted to him for this purpose in Titles IVa, V, Va and Vc of Book 1 of the Code of Criminal Procedure. Article 126ff of the Code of Criminal Procedure may also be applied where the scope of the request makes this necessary.
2. When a request of the ICC for cooperation is executed, no use may be made of the powers referred to in subsection 1 and article 126ff of the Code of Criminal Procedure may not be applied other than in accordance with subsection 1.
3. Records of proceedings and other objects acquired by application of one of the powers to tap telecommunications or record confidential communications by means of technical equipment may be handed over to the ICC in so far as the District Court grants leave for this purpose. Articles 21-25 of the Code of Criminal Procedure shall apply mutatis mutandis.
4. Articles 126aa paragraph 2, and 126bb-126dd of the Code of Criminal Procedure shall apply mutatis mutandis. Article 126cc shall apply only in so far as the relevant records of proceedings and other objects have not been handed over to the ICC. The public prosecutor is responsible for ensuring that a person to whom the records and other objects relate may inspect them at some point.
Section 53
1. The investigating judge shall return the request for cooperation as soon as possible to the public prosecutor, after adding the records of the interviews conducted by him and the records of his other actions.
2. The documentary evidence seized by the investigating judge and information carriers in his possession containing data collected by means of any power under the law of criminal procedure shall be made available to the public prosecutor, in so far as the District Court grants leave for this purpose. Articles 21-25 of the Code of Criminal Procedure shall apply mutatis mutandis.
3. Unless it may be assumed that the persons entitled to the seized documentary evidence do not reside in the Netherlands, the leave required under subsection 2 shall be granted only on condition that when the documents are handed over to the ICC it is stipulated that they will be returned as soon as they are no longer required for the criminal procedure.
4. The provisions laid down by and pursuant to articles 116-119, 552a, 552ca, 552d paragraph 1, and 552e of the Code of Criminal Procedure shall apply mutatis mutandis to the provisions of subsections 1-3. The court competent to grant the leave required under subsection 2 of this section shall take the place of the competent court according to the said articles.
Section 54
1. After completing his activities in executing the request for cooperation, the public prosecutor shall return the request, together with the accompanying documents, to Our Minister as soon as possible.
2. Our Minister shall notify the ICC immediately of the manner in which the request has been executed and of the results thereof.
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