The International Criminal Court (ICC) was formed during one of the bloodiest decades in human history, after the Rwandan and Bosnian genocides. Today, the ICC is the only permanent international court capable of trying individuals accused of genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity when there is no other recourse for justice. The ICC emulates the U.S. commitment to act to provide justice for the victims of brutal crimes. By joining the ICC, the U.S. extends its abilities to promote peace and justice by helping member nations reform their laws and judicial systems to meet these standards. Polls show that Americans overwhelmingly support the ICC and the need to prosecute individuals who perpetrate the most heinous crimes anywhere in the world. Citizens for Global Solutions has been an active supporter since the inception of the Court and will continue to work toward the goal of the U.S. ratifying the Rome Statute. Click here for more information . . .
Report of the Bureau on Stocktaking: The impact of the Rome Statute system on victims and affected communities. This is an ICC, Assembly of States Parties original source document.
February 3, 2010- ICC Overturns Decision to Exclude Genocide Charges in al-Bashir case + Read More
November 19, 2009- Speech to Assembly of States Parties by Ambassador-at-Large for War Crimes Stephen Rapp + Read More
Jul 8, 2009 - Czech Republic becomes the 110th country to ratify the Rome Statue, making Europen commitment to the ICC unanimous.
Jul 6, 2009 - Botswana joins South Africa in publicly announcing its legal duty to ensure the appearance of Sudanese president Omar al-Bashir before the ICC.
Jun 17, 2009 - Chile becomes the 109th party to ratify the Rome Statute.
Secretary Clinton Receives Organizational Sign-on Letter About the ICC + Read More
Mar 11, 2009 - Song Sang-Hyun succeeds Philippe Kirsch and becomes second President of the ICC
International Criminal Court Begins its 1st Trial of an Accused War Criminal + Read More
ICC President Philippe Kirsch on Capitol Hill +Read More
ICC President Philippe Kirsch's Visit to Capitol Hill a Success! +Read More
The International Criminal Court in a New Era with Phillip Kirsch and Hon. Patricia Wald +Read More
Learn About the ICC's New President, Sang Hyun Song of South Korea +Read More
Related Issues
What is "The Responsibility to Protect"?
Could sovereignty, the essential building block of the nation-state era and of the United Nations itself, they queried, be misused as a shield behind which mass violence could be inflicted on populations with impunity? Ban Ki Moon, United Nations Secretary General
In 2005, at the United Nations World Summit, the world leaders that were present made the commitment to protect citizens from genocide, ethnic cleansing, war crimes and crimes against humanity whenever they occur. This decision is commonly referred to as the Responsibility to Protect or R2P, Resolution 1674 officially passed in 2006. Click here to download a PDF of the 2005 World Summit Outcome document. Subsequently, to read the implementation plan put forth from the Secretary-General Ban-ki Moon download this PDF.
ICC MULTIMEDIA
In March 2009 International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant against Sudanese President Omar Al-Bashir. The warrant accuses the president of two counts of war crimes and five counts of crimes against humanity in Darfur, by ordering government troops as well as Janjaweed militia to engage in a systematic campaign of murder, rape and torture against members of the Fur, Masalit and Zaghawa groups.
Take a moment to view some creative and inspiring videos about the conflict in Darfur:
