What is the International Criminal Court (ICC)?
The International Criminal Court (ICC) is a tribunal of international law based in The Hague, Netherlands. It was established in 2002 as a permanent court with jurisdiction to prosecute individuals for the most serious international crimes, such as genocide and war crimes. The ICC works alongside national judicial systems to investigate and prosecute the worst offenders of international law. The Tribunal applies the Rome Statute, a multilateral treaty that has been ratified by 123 states, to investigate and bring justice to situations of international crime. The ICC has the authority to investigate and prosecute four types of crimes: genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes, and a crime of aggression. The ICC is the first permanent court of its kind and serves as a legal vehicle to bring accountability to individuals and end impunity. Additionally, the ICC is able to coordinate with national courts to advance the prosecution of international criminal law. This means the court can grant requests from a state for assistance in investigations, direct the surrender of an individual to the ICC, or grant assistance from the state to the ICC in collecting evidence. The ICC is independent of the United Nations Security Council, but still retains an important relationship with the United Nations and its member states. It is important to remember that the ICC has no authority over individuals who are not registered members of the Rome Statute, which is the founding document of the ICC.
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