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Published by the International Criminal Court
ISBN No. 92-9227-365-5
ICC-PIOS-BK-05-009/20_Eng
Copyright © International Criminal Court 2020 | All rights reserved
This is not an official document. It is intended for public information only.
This
booklet is not for sale, reproduction or commercial use.
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Table of Contents
The ICC at a glance
The structure of the ICC
Crimes within the jurisdiction of the ICC
Witness protection
Further information about the ICC
How does the ICC operate?
Victims’ participation
Referrals, analyses and investigations
Appeals and revision
Judgment and sentence
The trial
Confirmation
of charges before trial
The rights of suspects
Arrests
On 17 July 1998, 120 States adopted a statute in Rome – known as the Rome
Statute of the International Criminal Court (“the Rome Statute”) – establishing the
International Criminal Court. For the first time
in the history of humankind,
States decided to accept the jurisdiction of a permanent international criminal
court for the prosecution of the perpetrators of the most serious crimes
committed in their territories or by their nationals after the entry into force of the
Rome Statute on 1 July 2002.
The International Criminal Court is not a substitute for national courts. According
to
the Rome Statute, it is the duty of every State to exercise its criminal
jurisdiction over those responsible for international crimes.
The International Criminal Court can only intervene where a State is unable or
unwilling to genuinely carry out the investigation and prosecute the perpetrators.
The primary mission of the International Criminal Court is to help put an end
to impunity for the perpetrators of the most serious crimes of concern to the
international
community as a whole, and thus to contribute to the prevention of
such crimes.
A well-informed public can contribute to guaranteeing lasting respect for and the
enforcement of international justice. The purpose of this booklet is to promote a
better understanding of the International Criminal Court
by providing answers to
the most frequently asked questions about the Court.