National procedures re enforcement of sentences imposed

New Zealand

New Zealand - Crimes Act 1961 (2025) EN

Execution of sentence, process, or warrant

(1) Every ministerial officer of any court authorised to execute a lawful sentence, and every prison manager of any prison, and every person lawfully assisting any such ministerial officer or prison manager, is justified in executing the sentence.

(2) Every ministerial officer of any court duly authorised to execute any lawful process of the court, whether of a civil or a criminal nature, and every person lawfully assisting him or her, is justified in executing it; and every prison manager required under the process to receive and detain any person is justified in receiving and detaining him or her.

(3) Every one duly authorised to execute a lawful warrant issued by any court or Justice or Community Magistrate or other person having jurisdiction to issue the warrant, and every person lawfully assisting him or her, is justified in executing the warrant; and every prison manager required under the warrant to receive and detain any person is justified in receiving and detaining him or her.

Execution of erroneous sentence or process
If a sentence is passed or a process is issued by a court having jurisdiction under any circumstances to pass such a sentence or issue such a process, or if a warrant is issued by a court or person having jurisdiction under any cir‐ cumstances to issue such a warrant, the sentence passed or process or warrant issued shall be sufficient to justify the execution of it by every officer, prison manager, or other person authorised to execute it, and by every person lawfully assisting him or her, notwithstanding that—

Rome Statute

Article 103 Role of States in enforcement of sentences of imprisonment

1.

(a) A sentence of imprisonment shall be served in a State designated by the Court from a list of States which have indicated to the Court their willingness to accept sentenced persons.

(b) At the time of declaring its willingness to accept sentenced persons, a State may attach conditions to its acceptance as agreed by the Court and in accordance with this Part.

(c) A State designated in a particular case shall promptly inform the Court whether it accepts the Court's designation.

2.

(a) The State of enforcement shall notify the Court of any circumstances, including the exercise of any conditions agreed under paragraph 1, which could materially affect the terms or extent of the imprisonment. The Court shall be given at least 45 days' notice of any such known or foreseeable circumstances. During this period, the State of enforcement shall take no action that might prejudice its obligations under article 110.

(b) Where the Court cannot agree to the circumstances referred to in subparagraph (a), it shall notify the State of enforcement and proceed in accordance with article 104, paragraph 1.

3. In exercising its discretion to make a designation under paragraph 1, the Court shall take into account the following:

(a) The principle that States Parties should share the responsibility for enforcing sentences of imprisonment, in accordance with principles of equitable distribution, as provided in the Rules of Procedure and Evidence;

(b) The application of widely accepted international treaty standards governing the treatment of prisoners;

(c) The views of the sentenced person;

(d) The nationality of the sentenced person;

(e) Such other factors regarding the circumstances of the crime or the person sentenced, or the effective enforcement of the sentence, as may be appropriate in designating the State of enforcement.

4. If no State is designated under paragraph 1, the sentence of imprisonment shall be served in a prison facility made available by the host State, in accordance with the conditions set out in the headquarters agreement referred to in article 3, paragraph 2. In such a case, the costs arising out of the enforcement of a sentence of imprisonment shall be borne by the Court.