What is the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC)?

The Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC) is an international agreement that created the ICC, a permanent court that prosecutes individuals for genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity. The Statute was adopted in 1998 in Rome, Italy and entered into force on July 1, 2002. The ICC is the first of its kind and the only international court with the jurisdiction to hold individuals criminally responsible for these types of crimes. The ICC is able to prosecute individuals from any nationality, even if the country they come from has not ratified the Statute. This is accomplished by international cooperation from various nations, such as the United Nations Security Council, which can refer cases to the ICC for investigation. The United States of America has not ratified the Rome Statute, which makes it somewhat unique among major nations. However, Massachusetts is one of a handful of states in the US that has adopted a resolution encouraging the US to ratify the Rome Statute. Massachusetts also provides financial support to the ICC as part of the Massachusetts State Budget. The Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court is an important agreement that provides an effective way of holding individuals responsible for genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity. The ICC is the only permanent international court that can take action to prevent these horrible acts and its jurisdiction is broad enough to cover individuals from any nationality. The adoption of the Rome Statute in Massachusetts is an important step in encouraging the US to ratify this important agreement.

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What is the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC)?

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