Provisional arrest

Fiji

Fiji - Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters 1997 EN

''Part IV-ARRANGEMENTS FOR PERSONS TO GIVE EVIDENCE OR ASSIST INVESTIGATIONS, Division 2 - Requests by foreign countries, 24. Requests for assistance in relation to investigation in foreign countries''

(1) Where-
(a) an investigation relating to a criminal matter has commenced in a foreign country;
(b) the foreign country requests the removal of a prisoner who is in Fiji (whether or not in custody) to the foreign country for the purpose of giving assistance in relation to the investigation;
(c) there are reasonable grounds to believe that the prisoner is capable of giving assistance in relation to the investigation; and
(d) the Attorney-General is satisfied that-
(i) the prisoner has consented to being removed to the foreign country for the purpose of giving assistance in relation to the investigations, and
(ii) the foreign country has given adequate (whether or not unqualified) undertakings in respect of the matters referred to in subsection (3), the Attorney-General may-
(A) where the prisoner is being held in custody, direct that the prisoner be released from prison for the purpose of travelling to the foreign country to give assistance in relation to the investigation and, subject to the making or giving of any necessary directions or approvals in relation to the release of the prisoner, make arrangements for the travel of the prisoner to the foreign country in the custody of a police or prison officer appointed by the Attorney-General for the purpose; or
(B) where the prisoner, having been released from custody on a parole or other order or licence to be at large, is not being held in custody, approve the travel of the prisoner to the foreign country for the purpose of giving assistance in relation to the investigation and obtain approvals, authorisation, permission or variations to the parole or other order or licence to be at large as may be required and, make arrangements for the travel of the prisoner to the foreign country in the custody of a police or prison officer appointed by the Attorney-General for the purpose.
(2) Where-
(a) a criminal investigation has commenced in a foreign country;
(b) the foreign country requests that a person (not being a prisoner) who is in Fiji travel to the foreign country to give assistance in relation to the investigation;
(c) there are reasonable grounds to believe that the person is capable of giving assistance in relation to the investigations; and
(d) the Attorney-General is satisfied that-
(i) the person has consented to travel to the foreign country for the purpose of giving assistance in relation to the investigations, and
(ii) the foreign country has given adequate (whether or not unqualified) undertakings in respect of the matters referred to in subsection (3),
the Attorney-General may, make arrangements for the travel of the person to the foreign country.
(3) The matters in relation to which undertakings are to be given by a foreign country for the purpose of a request that a person be removed to, or travel to, the foreign country for the purpose of giving assistance in relation to an investigation are-
(a) that the person shall not-
(i) be detained, prosecuted or punished for any offence against the law of the foreign country that is alleged to have been committed, or that was committed, before the person's departure from Fiji;
(ii) be subjected to any civil suit in respect of any act or omission of the person that is alleged to have occurred, or that occurred, before the person's departure from Fiji, being a civil suit to which the person could not be subjected to if the person were not in the foreign country; or
(iii) be required to give in any proceedings in the foreign country, unless-
(A) the person has left the foreign country; or
(B) the person has had the opportunity of leaving the foreign country and has remained in that country otherwise than for the purpose of giving assistance in relation to the investigation to which the request relates;
(b) that the person shall be returned to Fiji in accordance with arrangements agreed by the Attorney-General;
(c) where the person is being held in custody in Fiji and the Attorney-General requests the foreign country to make arrangements for the keeping of the person in custody while the person is in the foreign country-
(i) the making of appropriate arrangements for that purpose;
(ii) that the person shall not be released from custody in the foreign country unless the Attorney-General notifies an appropriate authority of the foreign country that the person is entitled to be released from custody under Fiji law; and
(iii) if the person is released in the foreign country as mentioned in subparagraph (ii), that the person's accommodation and expenses pending the completion of the investigation to which the request relates shall be paid for by the foreign country; or
(d) other matters as the Attorney-General thinks appropriate.

Rome Statute

Article 92 Provisional arrest

1. In urgent cases, the Court may request the provisional arrest of the person sought, pending presentation of the request for surrender and the documents supporting the request as specified in article 91.

2. The request for provisional arrest shall be made by any medium capable of delivering a written record and shall contain:

(a) Information describing the person sought, sufficient to identify the person, and information as to that person's probable location;

(b) A concise statement of the crimes for which the person's arrest is sought and of the facts which are alleged to constitute those crimes, including, where possible, the date and location of the crime;

(c) A statement of the existence of a warrant of arrest or a judgement of conviction against the person sought; and

(d) A statement that a request for surrender of the person sought will follow.

3. A person who is provisionally arrested may be released from custody if the requested State has not received the request for surrender and the documents supporting the request as specified in article 91 within the time limits specified in the Rules of Procedure and Evidence. However, the person may consent to surrender before the expiration of this period if permitted by the law of the requested State. In such a case, the requested State shall proceed to surrender the person to the Court as soon as possible.

4. The fact that the person sought has been released from custody pursuant to paragraph 3 shall not prejudice the subsequent arrest and surrender of that person if the request for surrender and the documents supporting the request are delivered at a later date.