The International Criminal Court was established in July 1998 following the signing of the Rome Statute, during the United Nations Diplomatic Conference of Plenipotentiaries on the Establishment of an International Criminal Court. The Rome Statute entered into force in July 2002 following the 60th ratification of the Statute. The establishment of the Court marked a significant milestone in International Criminal Law: for the first time, a permanent court was established to try the most serious international crimes and put an end to impunity.
Based in The Hague, the Netherlands, the Court has the jurisdiction to investigate Genocide, Crimes Against Humanity, and War Crimes, committed after July 2002. The Court will also have the jurisdiction to try Crimes of Aggression, pending its definition, which may be presented during the 2009 Review Conference.
Currently, the Court is investigating four situations, three by State referral (Uganda, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Central African Republic), and one by Security Council referral (Darfur). Four cases within these situations are known to have been opened, and twelve public arrest warrants have been issued.
The question of international criminal justice has always been contentious, and there has never been a more opportune time for students and youth all over the world to engage in a serious, informed discussion about the future of international criminal justice and the Court.
For more information on the court, click here to see the website of the Coalition for the International Criminal Court (CICC), of which ICCSN is a member. We also recommend the following resources:
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Text: of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court
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Paper: Sureta Chana, "Issues of Complementarity and Admissibility"
- Powerpoint Presentation: Mariane Goetz, Sureta Chana, Chakola Beyani, "The Role of the International Criminal Court and NGOs in combating Sexual Violence in Modern Armed Conflicts"
Countries that have ratified the Rome Statute : September 2008