International Criminal Court : Arrest Warrants For The Prime Minister Of Israel
The International Criminal Court recently issued arrest warrants for the Prime Minister of Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu, his former Defence Minister and Hamas officials, accusing them of war crimes and crimes against humanity
- International Criminal Court (ICC) is a global court which seeks to hold to account those guilty of some of the world’s worst crimes.
- It is the only permanent international criminal tribunal.
- The ICC was established by an international agreement, the Rome Statute, on 17 July 1998.
- The Rome Statute sets out the Court’s jurisdiction, structures and functions.
- The Statute entered into force on 1 July 2002.
- It investigates and where warranted, tries individuals charged with the gravest crimes of concern to the international community: genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity and the crime of aggression.
- HQ: Hague, Netherlands.
- Members: 123 nations are States Parties to the Rome Statute and recognize the ICC’s authority; the notable exceptions being the USA, China, Russia, Israel and India.
- Funding: The Court is funded by contributions from the States Parties and by voluntary contributions from Governments, international organizations, individuals, corporations, and other entities.
- The court has eighteen judges, each from a different member country, elected to non-renewable nine-year terms.
- The Presidency: Consists of three judges (the President and two Vice-Presidents) elected from among the judges. It represents the Court to the outside world and helps with the organization of the work of the judges.
- 18 judges in 3 divisions, the Pre-Trial Division, the Trial Division, and the Appeals Division.
- Office of the Prosecutor (OTP): OTP is responsible for receiving referrals and any substantiated information on crimes within the jurisdiction of the Court. OTP examines these referrals and information, conducts investigations, and conducts prosecutions before the Court.
- The core function of the Registry is to provide administrative and operational support to the Chambers and the Office of the Prosecutor.
