ARTICLE I
TITLE I CO-OPERATION WITH THE INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL COURT
CHAPTER I JUDICIAL CO-OPERATION
SECTION 1: MUTUAL JUDICIAL ASSISTANCE
Article 627-1
(Inserted by Law no. 2002-268 of 26 February 2002 art. 1 Official Journal of 27 February 2002)
Requests for mutual assistance issued by the International Criminal Court are sent to the competent authorities in accordance with article 87 of the statute. The original document or a certified copy may be sent, accompanied by supporting evidence.
These documents are sent to the district prosecutor of Paris, who takes appropriate action.
In urgent cases, these documents may be sent directly to him, by any available means. They are then sent on in the forms provided for in the previous paragraphs.
Article 627-2
(Inserted by Law no. 2002-268 of 26 February 2002 art. 1 Official Journal of 27 February 2002)
Requests for mutual assistance are carried out, according to the case, by the district prosecutor or the investigating judge of Paris, who act on behalf of the whole French territory, if necessary in the presence of the prosecutor of the International Criminal Court or his representative, or any other person mentioned in the International Criminal Court’s request.
The official records made during the carrying out of these requests are sent to the International Criminal Court by the competent authorities, in accordance with article 87 of the statute.
In urgent cases, certified copies of the official records may be sent directly to the International Criminal Court. The official records are sent on afterwards in the forms provided for in the previous paragraphs.
Article 627-3
(Inserted by Law no. 2002-268 of 26 February 2002 art. 1 Official Journal of 27 February 2002)
The implementation of the protective measures, described in section k of paragraph 1 of article 93 of the statute, over the whole of the French territory at the Treasury’s expense and in accordance with the methods set out in the new Code of Civil Procedure, is ordered by the district prosecutor of Paris. These measures may only remain in place for a maximum of two years. However, they may be renewed under the same conditions before the expiry of this period at the International Criminal Court’s request.
The district prosecutor of Paris transmits to the competent authorities, under article 87 of the statute, any difficulty relating to the execution of these measures, in order that the consultations provided for in articles 93, paragraph 3, and 97 of the statute may take place.
1. States Parties shall, in accordance with the provisions of this Part and under procedures of national law, comply with requests by the Court to provide the following assistance in relation to investigations or prosecutions:
(a) The identification and whereabouts of persons or the location of items;
(b) The taking of evidence, including testimony under oath, and the production of evidence, including expert opinions and reports necessary to the Court;
(c) The questioning of any person being investigated or prosecuted;
(d) The service of documents, including judicial documents;
(e) Facilitating the voluntary appearance of persons as witnesses or experts before the Court;
(f) The temporary transfer of persons as provided in paragraph 7;
(g) The examination of places or sites, including the exhumation and examination of grave sites;
(h) The execution of searches and seizures;
(i) The provision of records and documents, including official records and documents;
(j) The protection of victims and witnesses and the preservation of evidence;
(k) The identification, tracing and freezing or seizure of proceeds, property and assets and instrumentalities of crimes for the purpose of eventual forfeiture, without prejudice to the rights of bona fide third parties; and
(l) Any other type of assistance which is not prohibited by the law of the requested State, with a view to facilitating the investigation and prosecution of crimes within the jurisdiction of the Court.