International Criminal Court

The International Criminal Court is a permanent tribunal in The Hague that prosecutes individuals for genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes, and aggression.

Rome Statute: The treaty that established the International Criminal Court and defines its jurisdiction, structure, and procedures. It supplies the Court’s legal authority and rules.
Nuremberg trials: The postwar trials of leading Nazi officials before an international military tribunal in 1945–1946. They established precedents for holding individuals accountable under international law.
Thomas Lubanga Dyilo: A Congolese militia leader convicted by the International Criminal Court of conscripting and enlisting child soldiers. His 2012 conviction was the Court’s first final trial judgment.
International Court of Justice: The principal judicial organ of the United Nations, which settles disputes between states and gives advisory opinions. Unlike the Criminal Court, it does not prosecute individual defendants.
Victim participation in the International Criminal Court: The Rome Statute system allowing victims to present views and concerns in proceedings when their personal interests are affected. It gives victims a procedural role beyond appearing solely as witnesses.
Complementarity: The principle that the International Criminal Court acts only when states are unwilling or unable genuinely to investigate or prosecute. It makes national proceedings the first route to accountability.
International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia: A United Nations tribunal established in 1993 to prosecute serious crimes committed during the Yugoslav conflicts. Its work helped build support for a permanent criminal court.
Jean-Pierre Bemba: A former vice-president of the Democratic Republic of the Congo tried by the International Criminal Court for crimes committed in the Central African Republic. His case produced a major ruling on command responsibility and a later appeal acquittal.
International Criminal Court and the United States: The relationship between the Court and the United States, which signed but has not ratified the Rome Statute. The United States’ non-membership contrasts with the Court’s treaty-based jurisdiction.
International Criminal Court reparations: Court-ordered measures intended to repair harm suffered by victims of crimes within its jurisdiction. Reparations connect criminal judgments to material and symbolic redress.

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