Who does the International Crimes Team work with?

Dutch Immigration and Naturalization Service

Foreign nationals who would like to be admitted to the Netherlands bring their personal histories and their life stories to the Immigration and Naturalization Service. If the Service presumes that an individual may have been involved in the commission of serious crimes, their file is passed on to a special department of the Immigration and Naturalization Service which then determines whether Article 1F of the Convention on the Status of Refugees applies. If so, Dutch residency will be denied. In the event an individual is suspected of International Crimess, the Immigration and Naturalization Service will notify the National Public Prosecutors' Office.

Dutch Ministry of Justice and Security

Investigations into international crimes will often require investigative work abroad, such as witness interviews, for which permission must be granted by the country involved. Officially asking for permission is referred to as request for mutual legal assistance. The Ministry of Justice and Security will then contact the other country on behalf of the Dutch National Public Prosecutors' Office and make such a request. The Ministry also ensures that Dutch legislation is sufficient for effectively combating international crimes and strives, together with the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs, to strengthen the justice system in other countries.

Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs helps with establishing contacts around the world and with mutual legal assistance requests. The Ministry also plays an important role in visa applications submitted at Dutch embassies abroad. In addition, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Justice and Security together strive to strengthen the justice system in other countries.

Repatriation and Departure Service

Part of the Dutch Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom Relations, the Repatriation and Departure Service arranges for the departure of foreign nationals who have been denied residency in the Netherlands.

Foreign partners

The National Public Prosecutors' Office and the International Crimes Team also work together with foreign partners. We have contact with our foreign counterparts to share our know‑how and pool our knowledge. We also work with international tribunals, such as the Yugoslavia Tribunal (ICTY), the Rwanda Tribunal (ICTR), the Special Court for Sierra Leone, and the International Criminal Court in the Hague (ICC). The ad hoc tribunals have a specific authority for a certain conflict, country, or period of time, while the ICC deals with individuals whose respective countries are unwilling or unable to bring them to trial. The tribunals and the ICC also have their own investigative teams who work for the prosecution.