International Criminal Court

When was the International Criminal Court established?

July 1st 2002 (perfect date)

Where is the ICC located?

in the Hague Netherlands

Is the ICC a part of the UN?

No. The ICC is an independent international organization, and is not part of the UN.

Crimes against humanity include…

…murder, extermination, deportation, and other inhumane acts committed against any civilian population, before or during a war

Crimes against peace include…

…Planning, preparation, or initiation/waging a war of aggression, or in violation of international treaties

War Crimes are…

…Violations of the laws or customs of wars.

Examples of war crimes include…

Such violations shall include:

* murder, ill treatment or deportation to slave labour or for any other purpose of the civilian population of or in occupied territory
* murder or ill treatment of prisoners of war or persons on the seas
* killing of hostages
* plunder of public or private property
* unreasonable destruction of cities, towns or villages; or devastation not justified by military necessity

The ICC structure has

* 18 individual judges from the countries who have agreed to its jurisdiction
* They serve 9 year terms and are generally not able to be re-elected

When does the ICC try individuals?

The ICC can only try individuals who:

* Belong to a country who has agreed to the court’s jurisdiction (ex. Nigeria, South Africa)
* Current State Parties to the Rome Statute (ex. Canada)
* If the crime is committed in a country who has accepted the court’s jurisdiction
* If they are referred to by the UN Security Council

If a case is being considered by a country with jurisdiction over it

then the ICC cannot act unless the country is unwilling or unable genuinely to investigate or prosecute

A country may be determined to be “unwilling”

if it is clearly shielding someone from responsibility from ICC crimes.

A country may be “unable”

when its legal system has collapsed