The Court shall establish a Court Enforcement Service responsible for carrying out lawful warrants, orders, judgments, sentences, and other enforcement measures issued by the Court.
Court Enforcement Officers shall be independent from political authorities and shall act only under the authority of the Court, this Treaty, applicable international law, and the Rules of the Court.
The Court Enforcement Service may, where lawfully authorised: a. execute arrest warrants issued by the Court; b. take persons lawfully arrested into Court custody; c. transport or arrange the lawful transfer of persons between jurisdictions; d. execute search, seizure, preservation, freezing, confiscation, and property-recovery orders; e. enforce orders relating to proceeds of crime; f. assist with the lawful deportation, removal, or transfer of convicted persons; g. enforce orders for the protection of victims and witnesses; h. secure persons, evidence, property, and locations where authorised by the Court; and i. carry out other lawful enforcement functions assigned by the Court.
The Court Enforcement Service may include specially trained officers, investigators, transport personnel, forensic personnel, financial investigators, safeguarding personnel, technical specialists, and other personnel necessary to carry out its functions.
Court Enforcement Officers may carry appropriate equipment and, where authorised by the Court and permitted by applicable law, necessary protective equipment and lawful means of restraint.
Court Enforcement Officers shall use force only where necessary, proportionate, and lawful for the protection of life, the prevention of serious harm, the execution of a lawful Court order, or the safe custody and transfer of a person.
The use of lethal force shall be permitted only where strictly necessary to protect life or prevent an imminent threat of death or serious bodily harm, in accordance with applicable law and the Rules of the Court.
The Court may request assistance from the competent authorities of a State Party where enforcement is required within that State.
A State Party shall, to the extent required by this Treaty and its applicable law, cooperate with the Court Enforcement Service in executing lawful Court warrants and orders.
Where a State Party is unable to conduct an enforcement measure directly, the State may, subject to its national law and applicable international obligations, authorise appropriately trained Court Enforcement Officers to assist or carry out the measure.
Court Enforcement Officers shall not exercise enforcement powers beyond the authority granted to them by the Court, this Treaty, or the applicable law of the jurisdiction in which the enforcement action takes place.
The Court may establish agreements with States Parties concerning the deployment, recognition, training, accreditation, equipment, jurisdiction, and operational authority of Court Enforcement Officers.
Court Enforcement Officers shall respect the dignity and fundamental rights of every person and shall act without discrimination based on nationality, religion, ethnicity, sex, political opinion, social position, or other status.
A person arrested pursuant to a Court warrant shall be informed, as soon as reasonably practicable, of the basis for the arrest and of their rights under this Treaty.
The Court Enforcement Service shall maintain records of arrests, transfers, searches, seizures, confiscations, use of force, and other significant enforcement actions.
The Court shall establish independent procedures for investigating allegations of misconduct, excessive force, corruption, abuse of authority, or other unlawful conduct by Court Enforcement Officers.
No Court Enforcement Officer shall be above the law. Officers who abuse their authority, deliberately violate this Treaty, unlawfully use force, interfere with evidence, or otherwise commit an offence may be investigated and prosecuted in accordance with this Treaty.
The Court may establish specialist enforcement units for international arrest operations, financial crime and asset recovery, prisoner transfer, witness protection, cybercrime, trafficking investigations, and other areas requiring specialist expertise.
Nothing in this Article shall prevent the Court from requesting national law-enforcement authorities, international organisations, or other competent bodies to execute or assist with Court warrants and orders where such cooperation is necessary or appropriate.
The Court Enforcement Service shall operate transparently and remain accountable to the Court, while maintaining operational independence from individual States and political authorities.