International Criminal Court

The International Criminal Court (ICC) is the world’s first permanent body exercising jurisdiction over grave offenses under international law. Established on July 17, 1998, by the Rome Statute, the ICC did not achieve meaningful existence until July 1, 2002, when it exceeded the critical mass of support needed from signatories to the statute. The court consists of two components: (1) a judiciary, comprising a president, judges, and administrative personnel, and (2) the Prosecutor’s Office, embracing an independent prosecutor and investigators. The Assembly of States Parties, composed of representatives of states that have both signed and ratified the Rome Statute, supervises the work of the ICC and oversees its budget. The assembly may also increase the number of ICC’s judges (currently 18) by a two-thirds vote. ...