Background and Faculties

The International Criminal Court is a permanent international tribunal established to investigate, prosecute, and try individuals accused of committing crimes that concern the international community, like the crime of genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes, and the crime of aggression. The court is regulated by the Rome Statute, a treaty signed in 1998, that defines the crimes under the court’s jurisdiction, the rules of procedure, and the mechanisms for States to cooperate with the ICC. The court has 18 judges, who are divided into the Pre-Trial judges, who decide if there is enough evidence to proceed to trial, the trial judges, who conduct fair trials, and the appeals judges, who handle appeals from the Parties involved in the cases. The headquarters of the ICC is located in The Hague, in the Kingdom of the Netherlands.

To ensure a fair trial and the establishment of sentences for the accused individuals, the International Criminal Court can:

• Investigate and prosecute individuals according to the Rome Statute in which the State is unwilling or incapable of doing so;

• Judge leaders and high-level government officials responsible for war crimes, crimes against humanity, genocide, and crimes of aggression;

• Work with the Security Council to ensure the jurisdiction of the case to the court with the help of referrals or deferrals;

• Protect the security, welfare, and dignity of victims and witnesses through reparations, compensations, or rehabilitations;

• Issue arrest warrants or summonses to appear, relying on State Parties to arrest and transfer suspects to the ICC;

• Work with State Parties to ensure the implementation of the sentences.