Posted by Christine Lee
The International Criminal Court (ICC) is the first ever independent, treaty-based international criminal court established to address the most serious crimes of concern to the international community. The ICC prosecutes the perpetrators of crimes such as genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes, and the crime of aggression. As the “court of last resort,” it is designed to complement existing national judicial systems and thus only tries those accused of the gravest crimes.
The legal foundation of the ICC is the Rome Statute, which was adopted by 120 States at a diplomatic conference in 1998 and entered into force on 1 July 2002. The Statute establishes the ICC’s function and jurisdiction as well as it four major organs: The Presidency, the Judicial Divisions, the Office of the Prosecutor, and the Registry. Under the Statute, the ICC has been able to open investigations in Uganda, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Central African Republic and Darfur. 110 states are currently party to the Statute.
During our visit to the ICC, we will watch a presentation on the Presidency and Chambers and will be briefed by the Prosecutor’s Office. We will also attend a hearing regarding the case of Germain Katanga and Mathieu Ngudjolo Chui, two Congolese militia leaders who have allegedly committed war crimes and crimes against humanity. The visit to the ICC will provide us with an understanding of international humanitarian law and the methods of prosecution under the Rome Statue.
Trinity One: Brussels 2010 