International Criminal Court (ICC)

Overview

The International Criminal Court (ICC) is a permanent international court that investigates, prosecutes, and tries individuals accused of committing genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes, and the crime of aggression. The ICC was established by the Rome Statute, which was adopted on July 17, 1998, and entered into force on July 1, 2002.

Objectives

The ICC has three main objectives:

• To end impunity for those responsible for the most serious crimes of international concern
• To contribute to the prevention of such crimes
• To promote international cooperation in the fight against impunity

Jurisdiction

The ICC has jurisdiction over crimes committed by nationals of states that are party to the Rome Statute, as well as crimes committed on the territory of states that are party to the Rome Statute. The ICC also has jurisdiction over crimes committed by nationals of non-party states if the United Nations Security Council refers the situation to the ICC.