What Is The International Criminal Court And Who Is Its President?

The International Criminal Court (ICC) issued arrest warrants on Thursday, November 21 for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, and Hamas military leader Mohammed Deif, accusing them of crimes against humanity and war crimes.

The ICC alleged that Netanyahu and Gallant were responsible for numerous human rights violations in Gaza, where local health authorities reported that over 44,000 people have died as a result of a yearlong Israeli military campaign in the region.

Israel reacted strongly to the warrants, with Netanyahu’s office denouncing the ICC’s actions as “antisemitic” and dismissing the charges as “baseless and absurd.” The ICC was further criticized as a “biased and discriminatory political institution.”

What Is The International Criminal Court (ICC) ?

The International Criminal Court (ICC) operates under the Rome Statute, its founding treaty, which grants it the authority to prosecute four major categories of crimes. These crimes address severe violations of international law and human rights.

Genocide
Genocide involves deliberate acts aimed at destroying a national, ethnic, racial, or religious group in whole or in part. This crime includes actions such as killing members of the group, causing serious physical or mental harm, creating conditions intended to lead to the group’s destruction, imposing measures to prevent births within the group, or forcibly transferring children to another group.

Crimes Against Humanity
Crimes against humanity refer to severe violations committed as part of a widespread or systematic attack on civilian populations. The Rome Statute outlines 15 forms of such crimes, including murder, rape, torture, enslavement—particularly of women and children—sexual slavery, imprisonment, apartheid, enforced disappearances, and deportation.

War Crimes
War crimes are serious breaches of the Geneva Conventions during armed conflicts. Examples include recruiting or using child soldiers, killing or torturing civilians or prisoners of war, and targeting protected sites such as hospitals, historic landmarks, or buildings dedicated to religion, education, or charitable purposes.

The Crime of Aggression
The crime of aggression involves a State using armed force against the sovereignty, territorial integrity, or independence of another State. This crime was formally defined and added to the Rome Statute during the Kampala Review Conference in 2010. The ICC’s jurisdiction over this crime became active on July 17, 2018, following a resolution adopted by the Assembly of States Parties on December 15, 2017.

These four categories ensure that the ICC addresses some of the most severe violations of international law, reinforcing accountability and justice on a global scale.

Who Is The Head Of ICC?

The International Criminal Court (ICC) is led by the President, who is selected by the judges for a three-year term. The current leadership includes:

President: Judge Tomoko Akane from Japan, who assumed office on March 11, 2024.

First Vice-President: Judge Rosario Salvatore Aitala.

Second Vice-President: Judge Reine Alapini-Gansou.

Other Key Figures In ICC’s Leadership:

Prosecutor: Karim A. A. Khan KC, elected in 2021.

Deputy Prosecutors: Mame Mandiaye Niang and Nazhat Shameem Khan, also elected in 2021.

The Presidency is responsible for managing the Registry, collaborating with the Prosecutor, maintaining relationships with states and other organizations, and fostering public awareness and understanding of the Court’s role and activities.

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