International Criminal Court

The International Criminal Court

The International Criminal Court (ICC) is a special court that helps make sure people who do very bad things are held responsible. It is based in The Hague, in Netherlands. The ICC started working in 2002. It follows rules called the Rome Statute.

The ICC looks at very serious crimes. These include hurting whole groups of people, doing bad things to people who are not fighting, and breaking rules during wars. The ICC is different because it can hold people responsible, not just countries.

The ICC can only act when a country’s own courts cannot or will not. It can start cases if the person accused is from a country that supports the ICC, if the crime happened in such a country, or if the United Nations Security Council asks the ICC to investigate. As of October 2024, 125 countries agree to follow the Rome Statute and work with the ICC.

The ICC has its main office in The Hague, Netherlands. The building it uses has six parts connected together, with a tall green tower in the middle that has three courtrooms. Before 2015, the Court used a temporary office in The Hague.

The ICC works with many countries and groups to help bring justice. It shares information and supports efforts to make sure people know about its work. Even though it helps bring justice, the ICC sometimes faces questions about how fair and effective it is.

The ICC is led by the Assembly of States Parties, made up of countries that agree to follow the Rome Statute. This group chooses leaders for the Court, decides its budget, and updates the rules. The Court has four main parts: the Presidency, the Judicial Divisions, the Office of the Prosecutor, and the Registry. These parts work together to make sure the ICC runs smoothly and fairly.