International Criminal Court (ICC)

The International Criminal Court (ICC) is a permanent international tribunal established by the Rome Statute to investigate and prosecute individuals for the most serious crimes of international concern: genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity, and the crime of aggression. It is a court of last resort, stepping in only when national courts are unwilling or unable to prosecute such crimes. The ICC is newsworthy due to several recent developments. Judges have ruled that former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte is fit to stand trial for alleged crimes against humanity, with a hearing scheduled for February 2026. Simultaneously, the ICC has issued a warrant for the arrest of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for war crimes in Gaza, though he has accepted an invitation to join a US-led 'board of peace'. In another case, the ICC sentenced a Sudanese militia leader to 20 years in prison for war crimes and crimes against humanity committed in Darfur. Conversely, Venezuela is seeking to withdraw from the Rome Statute, while the UK's role in the Iraq war is being scrutinized, raising questions about potential influence on trials of UK soldiers. These events highlight the ICC's ongoing efforts to hold individuals accountable for atrocities, as well as the challenges it faces in gaining universal acceptance and cooperation.