The International Criminal Court (ICC) is the first permanent court with jurisdiction over mass atrocity crimes, marking an international commitment to human rights and accountability. The United Nations adopted the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court in 1998, the treaty that allowed for the court to be established, and the ICC was officially established in 2002. Located in the Hague (Netherlands), the International Criminal Court investigates and prosecutes individuals for genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity, and the crime of aggression. These crimes are considered the most serious violations in international law.
Rome Statute
The Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court is the foundational treaty that established the International Criminal Court and the crimes it has jurisdiction over. It also details the governing framework for how the court should operate. It was adopted at a United Nations conference in Rome in 1998, and entered into force in 2002. Articles 5 through 9 outline the crimes the court is authorized to prosecute.
To learn more, visit Rome Statute
Crimes Under ICC Jurisdiction
Crimes Under ICC Jurisdiction:
- Genocide: The UN Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide defines it as “acts committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial or religious group”. Acts include killing or causing serious bodily or mental harm to members of a group, imposing measures to prevent births within a group, or transferring children from a group.
- Crimes against humanity: The Rome Statute defines crimes against humanity as “acts committed as part of a widespread or systematic attack directed against any civilian population.” Unlike in genocide, the civilians may not belong to the same national, ethnical, racial or religious group. Acts include, but are not limited to, murder, enslavement, forced deportation, and sexual violence.
- War crimes: War crimes violate the Geneva Conventions and other international laws of armed conflict. Crimes include, but are not limited to, torture, the taking of hostages, and direct attacks on civilian populations. They must take place during an armed conflict.
- Crime of aggression: The Rome Statute defines the crime of aggression as “the use of armed force by a State against the sovereignty, territorial integrity or political independence of another State.” Armed force could involve an invasion, bombardment or blockade.
To learn more, see International Crimes.
Case Admissibility
Sovereign governments that have ratified the Rome Statute are known as State Parties. The ICC has jurisdiction over the above crimes when they have been committed by a national or within the territory of a State Party. Non-Party States can voluntarily accept ICC jurisdiction, and the UN Security Council can also give the ICC jurisdiction over a Non-Party State.
The ICC is complementary to domestic courts. Only when a State is unwilling or unable to properly investigate or prosecute an individual can the Court take action. If not, the case is inadmissible. That is, it does not meet the requirements of the ICC. In November 2025, the International Crimes Tribunal in Bangladesh found former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina guilty of crimes against humanity. Since Bangladesh, a State Party, led the prosecution, the case is inadmissible to the ICC.
Cases are referred to the Court by a State Party, the UN Security Council, or the ICC Office of the Prosecutor. If the Prosecutor refers a case, they must first submit it to the Pre-Trial Chamber, where three judges will authorize an investigation or not. The Prosecutor or a State Party may later appeal the Chamber’s decision. If a State Party or the UN Security Council, by contrast, refers a case, the Prosecutor can launch an investigation without authorization from the Pre-Trial Chamber.
Things to Know about the ICC
There are currently 125 State Parties to the Rome Statute. Each is obliged to cooperate with investigations, act upon arrest warrants, and contribute to the Trust Fund. As of 2026, over 30 cases have been before the Court, almost all of which have been against Africans. Although most cases were referred by the States themselves, critics claim the ICC disproportionately targets former heads of state and rebel leaders from sub-Saharan Africa. This prompted Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger to announce their withdrawal from the Rome Statute in September 2025.
The ICC denotes its support from African authorities in investigations and arrests. In 2013, Gambian Fatou Bensouda—the ICC Prosecutor from 2012 to 2021—said that no one denies that crimes “took place where we’re investigating” in Africa. Instead of advocating for “the alleged perpetrators of these crimes”, Bensouda states that more effort should be put into giving justice to victims.
Data on Cases
Over 30 cases have been brought before the Court, resulting in 13 convictions and 4 acquittals as of 2026. Of the convictions, seven have been for international crimes and the others for witness tampering. The people convicted of international crimes come from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Mali, Rwanda and Uganda.
The ICC has issued over 60 arrest warrants and 9 summons to appear. As of early 2026, 32 defendants remain at large, hailing from the Central African Republic, Israel, Kenya, Libya, Russia, Rwanda, Sudan and Uganda.
Case Studies
War Crimes & Crimes against Humanity Committed by Bosco Ntaganda in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
In November 2019, the ICC sentenced Bosco Ntaganda to 30 years in prison for 18 counts of crimes against humanity and war crimes. Originally from Rwanda, Ntaganda became the military head of the Patriotic Forces for the Liberation of Congo in the Ituri district of the DRC. Between 2002 and 2003, he and his forces committed many international crimes, including, but not limited to, murder, sexual violence, forced deportation, attacks against civilians, and the conscription of child soldiers.
The ICC issued an arrest warrant in 2006, however, the DRC (a State Party) refused to arrest him. Over the next seven years, Ntaganda fought for paramilitary groups, was made a general in the Congolese army, and helped found the M23 rebel group. In 2013, he turned himself in at the United States Embassy in Rwanda and was taken to the Hague.
In December 2019, Ntaganda appealed the ICC verdict and sentence, but the Appeals Chamber confirmed both in March 2021. The Trial Chamber also issued a Reparations Order of $31,300,000 for victims. Ntaganda is currently imprisoned in Belgium, serving the longest sentence ever given by the ICC.
Crimes against Humanity Allegedly Committed by Former Philippines President Rodrigo Roa Duterte
In March 2025, Rodrigo Roa Duterte was arrested by Filipino authorities after the ICC issued an arrest warrant. The Office of the Prosecutor began an investigation in 2021 and accused Duterte of crimes against humanity committed between 2011 and 2019. While mayor of Davao City, Duterte supported the Davao Death Squad’s murder of over 1,000 alleged criminals. Later, as president of the Philippines (2016-2022), he led a “War on Drugs” where over 6,000 people were killed by the police.
The Philippines withdrew from the ICC in 2019, but since the alleged crimes took place when the Philippines was still a State Party, the case is admissible. As of May 2026, Duterte is being held in the ICC Detention Centre in the Hague awaiting trial.
War Crimes & Crimes against Humanity Allegedly Committed by Yoav Gallant & Benjamin Netanyahu in Palestine
In November 2024, the ICC issued arrest warrants for Mohammed Deif, the former commander of the military wing of Hamas; Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Israeli Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant. Deif was assassinated in July 2024, and neither Gallant or Netanyahu have been taken into ICC custody.
In November 2023, a month after Hamas attacked Israel and the Israel Defense Forces invaded the Gaza Strip, several State Parties referred the conflict in Palestine to the ICC. Upon investigating, the Prosecutor accused Gallant and Netanyahu of numerous war crimes and crimes against humanity, including, but not limited to, starvation as a method of warfare, attacks against civilians, and the deprivation of humanitarian aid. Israel is not a State Party to the Rome Statute, however, the State of Palestine is. Since the alleged crimes took place in Palestine, the case is admissible.
State Parties are obligated to arrest Gallant and Netanyahu, however, neither men have visited State Parties since the warrants were issued. Both have visited the United States (a non-Party State), and Netanyahu visited Hungary in April 2024, whose government announced its withdrawal from the ICC upon his arrival. This underlines a challenge that the ICC faces. People can evade their arrest warrants by not entering the territory of State Parties, some of which may ignore the Court’s demands.
War Crimes Allegedly Committed by Vladimir Putin in Russia & Ukraine
In March 2023, the ICC issued an arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin for war crimes. Specifically, he has been accused of the unlawful deportation and transfer of children from Ukraine to Russia. The Office of the Prosecutor opened an investigation in March 2022, and the ICC has since issued another five arrest warrants for Russian government and military officials as well.
In March 2022, a month after Russia invaded Ukraine, 41 State Parties referred the conflict to the ICC. Russia withdrew from the Court in 2016, and Ukraine did not ratify the Rome Statute until October 2024. However, Ukraine accepted indefinite ICC jurisdiction in 2014, and so the case is admissible.
Since his arrest warrant was issued, Putin has visited Mongolia and Tajikistan. As State Parties, the Mongolian and Tajikistani authorities were obligated to arrest him, however, neither did. This is another example of how people can evade their arrest warrants when State Parties refuse to comply with the Court’s demands.