International Criminal Court | Definition

Judiciary functions as a check and balance of the area of its jurisdiction. It is passed to courts for judgement whenever a wrongful act is committed. Sometimes, an unlawful act affects the world; such cases require judicial activities. The Hague, Netherlands country is the International Criminal Court established through Rome’s statute on July 17, 1998. On July 1, 2002, this organisation came into force when states decided to accept the prosecution of international criminal perpetrators committing crimes beyond national boundaries. The International Criminal Court members are 133 who devote their duty to the organisation. 

Aims and Objectives of the International Criminal Court:

• International Criminal Court members have their primary aim to prevent international crimes by prosecuting perpetrators of serious and heinous crimes of the international community and putting an end to the impunity of these international criminals. 
• Its objectives exist in investigating and prosecuting the individuals accused of crimes like genocide, i.e., killing of a whole race or religious group, crimes against humanity like large-scale attacks, rape, torture, and war crimes like attacks on injured soldiers, killing of children, and other Geneva Convention prohibitions, crimes of aggression like a violation of UN Charter, a threat to armed forces and sentencing required punishment of the criminals found guilty. 
• The need to establish a criminal Court on the international level was observed after continuous violations of the international law that remained unjudged and unpunished.
• The criminal acts of World War II and other crimes of the twentieth century required some checks. This need was felt by the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) to set up an International Criminal Court to deal with the atrocities occurring and affecting the international level. 
• Thus, a court was established in The Hague, Netherlands country is the International Criminal Court. 

Establishment of International Criminal Court:

• As mentioned above, the Rome Statute was important in establishing the International Criminal Court. 
• The representatives of this Rome Statute included the state parties of over 20 countries that represented regions like Africa, the Asia-Pacific region, the Caribbean and the Latin American region, along with Western Europe and regions of North America.
• At present, The Hague, Netherlands country is the International Criminal Court. The Rome Statute provides a provision that the seat of the Court can be anywhere the judges consider desirable. In addition to the International Criminal Court headquarters, the International Criminal Court members have branches for their investigations. 

International Criminal Court Members:

Currently, the total number of International Criminal Court members is 123. Kiribati became the latest member of the ICC on February 1, 2020. It is also to be noted that the International Criminal Court cannot extend its jurisdiction beyond the area of its member states. The crimes committed by nationals of member states or the members that have accepted the provisions of the International Criminal Court can be administered into the International Criminal Court. Also, when a case is referred to the International Criminal Court by the United Nations Security Council, they are obliged to cooperate. This is because their decision is binding on them. The Court consists of 18 judges elected for 9 years by the Assembly of State Parties. 

The Structure of the International Criminal Court:

Over time, the International Criminal Court has evolved into a professional organisation. It comprises a structure divided into four parts but is located in the same building as the International Criminal Court headquarters. These parts of the Court are responsible for carrying out different activities and jurisdiction over distinct matters. A Presidency also exists in the Court, a three-judge body that constitutes one President and two Vice-Presidents. This presidency functions towards managing the Court and representing the Court’s core values to the outside world. It also helps in organising the works of other judges. Moreover, it also carries out the functions of granting the punishment. The judges work in small groups called chambers. 

Significance of International Criminal Court:

The Hague, Netherlands country is the International Criminal Court, an autonomous body, i.e., it is an independent judicial body that can take decisions and function independently. This distinguishes the Court from other international judicial bodies as they work within the authority of international organisations. The International Criminal Court headquarters helps identify and prosecute individuals that conduct criminal activities internationally or violate the provisions of international law. It differs from the International Court of Justice (ICJ) under the United Nations and settles disputes. The International Criminal Court members do not need permission from any superior body. 

Conclusion:

From the facts mentioned above and the information, it can be rightly concluded that The Hague, Netherlands country is the International Criminal Court and is highly essential to prosecute the criminals that affect the world internationally and those who violate the provisions of the Geneva Convention. It is necessary to keep checks and balances on international criminal activities as it undermines the concept of international law and the existence of authorities like Interpol. The international criminal Court members function towards promoting a healthy environment in the world, reducing the crime rates to the minimum, and prosecuting the international crimes truthfully.