International Criminal Court

The International Criminal Court, usually called the ICC, is an intergovernmental organisation and international tribunal seated in The Hague, Netherlands. It was established in 2002 under the multilateral Rome Statute and is the first and only permanent international court with jurisdiction to prosecute individuals for genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes and the crime of aggression. It is meant to complement national judicial systems, acting only when national courts are unwilling or unable to prosecute, and it is distinct from the International Court of Justice, which hears disputes between states. As of early 2025 it had 125 states parties, represented in its governing body, the Assembly of States Parties. It is recorded here as a criminal justice institution.