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Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court

Official Name

Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court

Signatories

There are 139 member states that have signed the Statute and 108 members that recognise the International Criminal Court

Dates

The Statute was first signed on 17 July 1998. The latest recognition is by the Cook Islands on 18 July 2008. The Statute came into force on 1 July 2002.

Languages

The Statute was written in English, French, Spanish, Russian, Arabic and Chinese

For many years it was discussed in the international community about the establishment of an international court in which individuals who were guilty of particular crimes would be tried. At a diplomatic conference in July 1998 at Rome, Italy the Statute was drafted and then completed, therefore establishing the International Criminal Court.

Key Points

The Statute establishes the International Criminal Court as a means to prosecute individuals who have committed crimes which have had a significant effect on the international community. Such crimes are:

• Genocide
• Crimes against humanity
• War crimes
• Crimes of aggression

The International Criminal Court will be situated in The Hague in the Netherlands. The Court cannot convict a person who is under the age of 18 at the time the crime was committed. The Court has six official languages: Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish.

If the individual on trial is found guilty they will be sentenced to up to 30 years imprisonment, or life in prison. In addition they may also be required to pay a fine or forfeit any property or funds that had been obtained due to the crime. The sentence will be carried out in a country that has agreed prior to the trial to house the criminal.

Events as a result of the Treaty

Since the establishment of the International Criminal Court there have been several referrals to the Court. Once these referrals and complaints have been made the Court investigates the jurisdiction and crimes and then decides whether it is the duty of the court to make arrests and put them on trial.

Three individuals are currently on trial and one is still at large relating to the situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. An investigation is currently being made into complaints against events in the Central African Republic. Jean-Pierre Bemba Gombo is currently under trial due to his involvement in the Central African Republic. Four individuals are currently at large and warrants for their arrest have been issued for their participation in events in Uganda. Three individuals have had warrants for their arrest made by the International Criminal Court for their participation in events leading to the humanitarian disaster in Darfur, Sudan, including Sudanese President Omar Hassan Ahmad Al Bashir.

Resources

"Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court." International Criminal Court. 27 Dec. 2008 <http://www.icc-cpi.int/NR/rdonlyres/EA9AEFF7-5752-4F84-BE94-0A655EB30E16/0/Rome_Statute_English.pdf>.

"World Signatures and Ratifications." Coalition for the International Criminal Court. 22 Dec. 2008 <http://www.iccnow.org/?mod=romesignatures>.

"Signatories to the Rome Statute." Coalition for the International Criminal Court. 22 Dec. 2008 <http://www.iccnow.org/documents/Signatories_RomeStatute_2009.pdf>.

"Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court." United Nations Treaty Collection. 23 Dec. 2008 <http://treaties.un.org/Pages/ViewDetails.aspx?src=TREATY&id=373&chapter=18&lang=en>.

"Democratic Republic of the Congo." ICC. 11 Dec. 2008 <http://www2.icc-cpi.int/Menus/ICC/Situations+and+Cases/Situations/Situation+ICC+0104/>.

"Updates - Central African Republic." ICC. 13 Dec. 2008 <http://www2.icc-cpi.int/Menus/ICC/Situations+and+Cases/Situations/Situation+ICC+0105/Central+African+Republic.htm>.

"Central African Republic." ICC. 21 Dec. 2008 <http://www2.icc-cpi.int/Menus/ICC/Situations+and+Cases/Situations/Situation+ICC+0105/Related+Cases/ICC+0105+0108/Case+The+Prosecutor+v+Jean-Pierre+Bemba+Gombo.htm>.

"Uganda." ICC. 26 Dec. 2008 <http://www2.icc-cpi.int/Menus/ICC/Situations+and+Cases/Situations/Situation+ICC+0204/>.

"Darfur, Sudan." ICC. 19 Dec. 2008 <http://www2.icc-cpi.int/Menus/ICC/Situations+and+Cases/Situations/Situation+ICC+0205/>.