Founding of International Criminal Court

The International Criminal Court is a permanent tribunal that tries individuals accused of genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes and the crime of aggression. Its founding treaty, the Rome Statute, was adopted at a diplomatic conference in 1998 and came into force once enough countries had ratified it. The court sits in The Hague and acts only when national courts are unable or unwilling to prosecute, a principle known as complementarity. It is separate from the United Nations, although the Security Council can refer situations to it. Several major powers, including the United States, China and Russia, have not joined, and the court has faced criticism over its focus and its enforcement limits.

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