International Criminal Court

About ICC

The International Criminal Court (ICC) is a permanent judicial body established by the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (1998).
It is an independent judicial body distinct from the UN.
ICC investigates and tries individuals charged with the gravest crimes of concern to the international community: genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity and the crime of aggression.
The ICC was established as a court of last resort to prosecute the most heinous offenses in cases where national courts fail to act.
It is headquartered in The Hague, Netherlands .

Membership

Only those who ratified the Rome Statute are parties to ICC.
122 countries are States Parties to the Rome Statute of the ICC.
Prominent countries that are not members include China, India, Iraq, Libya, Yemen, Qatar, Israel, USA and Russia.

Comparison of ICC and ICJ

S.No	International Criminal Court (ICC)	International Court of Justice (ICJ)
1	Independent judicial body distinct from the UN	Principal judicial organ of the UN
2	Handles prosecutions of individuals	Hears disputes between sovereign states
3	Established by the Rome Statute in 2002	Established in 1945 by the San Francisco Conference, which also created the UN
4	Only those who ratified the Rome Statute are parties to ICC	All members of the UN are parties to the statute of the ICJ, and nonmembers may also become parties
5	The judges are elected by the Assembly of States Parties, the court’s governing body.	The judges are elected by the UN General Assembly and the Security Council
6	Headquarters of both the courts are situated at The Hague, Netherlands.

Why in News?

Recently, an executive order by U.S. President Donald Trump authorised sanctions against International Criminal Court staff investigating American troops and intelligence officials and those of allied nations for possible war crimes in Afghanistan and elsewhere.
Mr. Trump’s order would block the financial assets of court employees and bar them and their immediate relatives from entering the United States.
Reacting to the move, the ICC has condemned the U.S. administration’s decision to authorise sanctions against court staff.

References:

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