Questions about International Criminal Court

Short answers, pulled from the story.

When was the International Criminal Court officially established and when did it begin operations?

The International Criminal Court officially entered into force on the 1st of July 2002 after securing 60 ratifications of the Rome Statute. The first bench of 18 judges was elected in February 2003 and sworn in on the 11th of March 2003 to begin operations.

Where is the International Criminal Court located and when did it move to its permanent headquarters?

The International Criminal Court is seated in The Hague, Netherlands, where it moved into its first permanent premises on the 14th of December 2015. The building is located at Oude Waalsdorperweg 10 on the site of the former Alexanderkazerne military barracks.

Who is the current prosecutor of the International Criminal Court and when did they take office?

The current lead prosecutor of the International Criminal Court is Karim Khan, a British barrister who took office on the 16th of June 2021. He succeeded Fatou Bensouda of Gambia as the head of the Office of the Prosecutor.

What four crimes fall under the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court?

The International Criminal Court has jurisdiction over genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes, and the crime of aggression. The crime of aggression was activated on the 17th of July 2018 to allow prosecution of state acts of aggression.

When did the International Criminal Court issue its first arrest warrant for a sitting head of state?

The International Criminal Court issued its first arrest warrant for a sitting head of state in March 2023 targeting Russian President Vladimir Putin. This warrant addressed the alleged deportation of Ukrainian children and marked the first time a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council faced such a charge.

Which countries have not joined the Rome Statute and how does this affect the International Criminal Court?

Major powers including China, India, Russia, and the United States remain outside the Rome Statute and have not joined the International Criminal Court. This creates a complex geopolitical landscape for enforcement as the Court's jurisdiction applies only to crimes committed on the territory of a state party or by nationals of a state party.