The International Criminal Court: Investigating and Prosecuting International Crimes
An Overview of the ICC's Role and Significance
The International Criminal Court (ICC) is an intergovernmental organization and international tribunal that investigates and, where warranted, prosecutes individuals for the most serious crimes of concern to the international community, namely genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes, and the crime of aggression.
The ICC was established by the Rome Statute, which entered into force on July 1, 2002. The Court is based in The Hague, Netherlands, and has jurisdiction over crimes committed by nationals of states that have ratified the Rome Statute or by nationals of non-states parties that have accepted the Court's jurisdiction. The ICC can also exercise jurisdiction over crimes committed on the territory of states that have ratified the Rome Statute or have accepted the Court's jurisdiction.
The ICC is a court of last resort, which means that it can only exercise jurisdiction over crimes that cannot be investigated or prosecuted by national courts. The Court's mandate is to complement national jurisdictions and to help end impunity for the most serious crimes of concern to the international community.
Comments