International Criminal Court facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

Quick facts for kids International Criminal Court International Criminal Court
Official logo
Map of countries that are part of the International Criminal Court
Seat	The Hague, Netherlands
Working languages	English French
Type	International court
Member states	125
Leaders

• President	Tomoko Akane
• First Vice-President	Rosario Salvatore Aitala
• Second Vice-President	Reine Alapini-Gansou

Establishment

• Rome Statute adopted	17 July 1998
• Entered into force	1 July 2002

Website www.icc-cpi.int

The International Criminal Court (often shortened to the ICC) is a special worldwide court. Its main base is in the city of The Hague, which is in the Netherlands. It was created through a major international agreement known as the Rome Statute.

This court acts as a place of last resort. It only steps in when local national courts are unable or unwilling to investigate serious wrongdoing. It is different from the International Court of Justice, which settles legal disagreements between separate countries.

More than 120 nations have agreed to be members of the court. Other large nations, such as China, India, Russia, and the United States, chose not to join.

History of the Global Court
- Early Ideas and Beginnings
- How the Court Was Established
How the Court Operates
Main Parts of the Court
Important Buildings and Field Work
- The Main Building in The Hague
- Field Offices
Working with Global Partners
- The United Nations
- Non-Governmental Groups
Images for kids
See also

History of the Global Court

Early Ideas and Beginnings

Talk about building a shared world court started after the First World War. Leaders met during the Paris Peace Conference to talk about punishing those who broke basic rules. Later, in 1937, the League of Nations held talks in Geneva to create a shared rule system.

After the Second World War, the victorious allied powers created special temporary courts. The International Military Tribunal met in the city of Nuremberg to judge former leaders. Another court called the International Military Tribunal for the Far East met in Tokyo.

These historic events showed many people that permanent rules were necessary to protect communities everywhere. The United Nations General Assembly asked legal scholars in the International Law Commission to draft global rules. During the long dispute known as the Cold War, progress slowed down, and the draft was put on hold.

The modern headquarters of the International Criminal Court in The Hague, Netherlands.

How the Court Was Established

In 1989, a leader named A. N. R. Robinson, who was Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago, suggested creating an international tribunal. At the same time, conflicts during the Yugoslav Wars led to the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia. The United Nations also set up the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda to handle major crises.

These events pushed countries to hold a special conference in Italy during the summer of 1998. Representatives gathered to approve the Rome Statute. After enough nations approved the treaty, the court officially opened its doors in July 2002.

A large group of eighteen judges took their legal oaths in 2003. The court held its first trials shortly after to make sure justice was carried out fairly.

How the Court Operates

When Can the Court Step In?

The court only looks at the most serious harms committed across the world. These include harmful acts against entire groups or broken agreements during wartime conflicts. Leaders can also be investigated for launching unfair armed attacks on other nations.

A case can start when a member country asks the court for help. The United Nations Security Council can also ask the court to look into a difficult situation. Sometimes, the chief prosecutor decides to start an investigation after seeing solid evidence.

The court follows the rule of complementarity. This means national courts always get the first chance to handle their own legal cases. The ICC only steps forward if a national system has completely broken down.

Rights of People on Trial

Every person who appears before the judges is protected by strict legal safeguards. A person is always considered innocent until proven guilty by reliable facts.

Defendants are entitled to a speedy trial without unreasonable delays. If someone cannot afford legal assistance, the court gives them a trained lawyer for free. Accused people have the legal right to see the evidence and question witnesses.

Helping the Victims

A special feature of the court is that it gives victims an active voice during legal proceedings. People harmed by conflict can speak to the judges through trained legal representatives.

The court manages a special trust fund to support families who suffered great losses. Judges can order those found responsible to pay money or provide help to rebuild damaged towns.

Judge Tomoko Akane, elected as President of the ICC.

Main Parts of the Court

The court is split into four distinct sections that carry out different daily tasks:

The Presidency manages public relations and court administration, led by a top judge like Tomoko Akane.
The Judicial Division includes eighteen judges who listen to evidence in courtroom chambers.
The Office of the Prosecutor investigates serious events and collects reliable facts.
The Registry manages building operations, translations, public safety, and financial support.

More than 900 people from roughly 100 countries work inside the court. The official working languages used to record statements are English and French.

Important Buildings and Field Work

The Main Building in The Hague

For many years, the court worked out of rented office rooms in the Netherlands. In late 2015, it moved into a custom building designed by the firm Schmidt Hammer Lassen.

The headquarters features six modern connected blocks with quiet outdoor gardens. The tallest section is known as the Court Tower, which holds three large, secure courtrooms.

Field Offices

The court runs a detention unit inside the Hague Penitentiary Institution in the nearby district of Scheveningen. Detained individuals stay in clean rooms with access to exercise areas while waiting for their trials.

The court also runs field offices in locations where major investigations take place. Teams have worked in places such as Kampala, Kinshasa, Bunia, and Bangui. These offices help legal teams speak with local witnesses safely.

Delegates gathering during the Assembly of States Parties.

Working with Global Partners

The United Nations

Even though the court is an independent body, it works closely with the United Nations. Both groups share essential information and help each other with travel logistics.

The United Nations Security Council has the legal authority to send complex situations to the court. For example, it asked the ICC to investigate past conflicts in Darfur and Libya.

Non-Governmental Groups

Civilian groups known as non-governmental organisations helped design the original rules of the court. Thousands of these charities work together under the Coalition for the International Criminal Court.

These teams travel to rural areas to explain the court to local communities. They also assist witnesses who need help traveling safely to court hearings.