Summary:
This Law stipulates that the Minister of Justice is the central competent authority for receiving requests for cooperation from the International Criminal Court (the Court) and transmitting to the Court requests for cooperation from Belgian judicial authorities. The Law contains detailed provisions on the removal of a case from the Belgian courts and (temporary) arrest, transfer and transit of persons at the request of the Court. It also provides for other forms of international cooperation such as the identification and interrogation of persons, gathering of evidence, transmission of documents, search for and transfer of persons, and protection of victims and witnesses. The Law also provides for stays of execution and rejections of requests for cooperation in specific cases, and regulates the execution of the decisions of the Court by Belgium. It makes it an offence subject to fining and/or imprisonment to obstruct the administration of justice by the Court. The Law also sets out the procedure for applying for the position of judge at the Court. Concerning cooperation with the International Criminal Tribunals for the former Yugoslavia and Rwanda (the Tribunals), the Law provides that the Minister of Justice is also the central competent authority for receiving requests from the Tribunals. The Law contains provisions on the removal of a case from the Belgian courts, (temporary) arrest and transfer of persons at the request of the Tribunals and execution of the decisions of the Tribunals by Belgium. It also provides for other forms of international cooperation such as the identification of persons, gathering of evidence, transmission of documents, measures of seizure, and protection of victims and witnesses.