Rome Statute: Difference between revisions

{{Short description|1998 international treaty establishing the International Criminal Court (ICC)}}

|parties = [[States parties to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court|123124]]<ref name="UN treaty database"/>

The '''Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court''' is the [[treaty]] that established the [[International Criminal Court]] (ICC).<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.icc-cpi.int/nrsites/rdonlyresdefault/ea9aeff7files/RS-5752-4f84-be94-0a655eb30e16/0/rome_statute_englishEng.pdf |title=The Rome Statute |access-date=202023-11-27 March|publisher=International 2016Criminal Court|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/2018031809072120230409194405/https://www.icc-cpi.int/nrsites/rdonlyresdefault/ea9aeff7files/RS-5752-4f84-be94-0a655eb30e16/0/rome_statute_englishEng.pdf |archive-date=18 March 2018 2023-04-09|url-status=live }}</ref> It was adopted at a diplomatic conference in [[Rome]], [[Italy]] on 17 July 1998<ref name=scharf>Michael P. Scharf (August 1998). [http://www.asil.org/insights/insigh23.htm ''Results of the Rome Conference for an International Criminal Court''] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120515183257/http://www.asil.org/insights/insigh23.htm |date=15 May 2012 }}. The American Society of International Law. Retrieved on 31 January 2008.</ref><ref>Each year, to commemorate the adoption of the Rome Statute, human rights activists around the world celebrate 17 July as [[World Day for International Justice]]. See Amnesty International USA (2005). ''[http://www.amnestyusa.org/International_Justice/International_Justice_Day/page.do?id=1104666&n1=3&n2=35 International Justice Day 2005] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080502123130/http://www.amnestyusa.org/International_Justice/International_Justice_Day/page.do?id=1104666&n1=3&n2=35 |date=2 May 2008 }}''. Retrieved on 31 January 2008.</ref> and it entered into force on 1 July 2002.<ref name="UN treaty database"/> As of NovemberFebruary 20192024, [[States Parties to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court|123124 states]] are party to the statute.<ref>{{Cite web |title=United Nations Treaty Collection |url=https://treaties.un.org/Pages/ViewDetails.aspx?src=TREATY&mtdsg_no=XVIII-10&chapter=18&clang=_en |access-date=2022-07-09 |website=treaties.un.org |language=EN}}</ref> Among other things, it establishes court function, [[International Criminal Court#Jurisdiction and admissibility|jurisdiction]] and [[International Criminal Court#Structure|structure]].

The Rome Statute established four core international crimes: [[genocide]], [[crimes against humanity]], [[war crime]]s, and the [[crime of aggression]]. Those crimes "shall not be subject to any [[statute of limitations]]".<ref>Article 29, Non-applicability of statute of limitations</ref> Under the Rome Statute, the ICC can only investigate and prosecute the four core international crimes in situations where states are "unable" or "unwilling" to do so themselves.<ref name="reuters-icc">{{Cite web|title=International Criminal Court prosecutor calls for end to violence in Gaza|location=Amsterdam|work=Reuters|date=2018-04-08|access-date=27 November 2023|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-icct-palistinians-israel/international-criminal-court-prosecutor-calls-for-end-to-violence-in-gaza-idUSKBN1HF0PG/}}</ref> The jurisdiction of the court is complementary to jurisdictions of domestic courts. The court has jurisdiction over crimes only if they are committed in the territory of a state party or if they are committed by a national of a state party. An exception to this rule is that the ICC may also have jurisdiction over crimes if its jurisdiction is authorized by the [[United Nations Security Council]].

The UN’s [[International Law Commission]] (ILC) considered the inclusion of the crime of [[ecocide]] to be included within the Draft Code of Crimes Against the Peace and Security of Mankind, the document which later became the Rome Statute. Article 26 (crime against the environment) was publicly supported by 19 countries in the Legal Committee but was removed due to opposition from the [[Netherlands]], the [[United Kingdom]] and the [[United States|United States of America]].<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Sess((UN.: 1986-1987) |first=UN General Assembly (41st sess.))) |date=1987-01-20 |title=Draft Code of Offences against the Peace and Security of Mankind :: resolution /: adopted by the General Assembly. |url=https://digitallibrary.un.org/record/124973 |language=en |website=United Nations Digital Library System |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231219205451/https://digitallibrary.un.org/nanna/record/124973/files/A_RES_41_75-EN.pdf?withWatermark=0&withMetadata=0&version=1&registerDownload=1 |archive-date= Dec 19, 2023 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite webmagazine |date=2021-02-19 |title=Lawyers Are Working to Put 'Ecocide' on Par with War Crimes. Could an International Law Hold Major Polluters to Account? |url=https://time.com/5940759/ecocide-law-environment-destruction-icc/ |first1=Mélissa |last1=Godin |access-date=2023-07-05 |websitemagazine=Time |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=The Ecocide Project - Ecocide is the missing 5th Crime Against Peace |url=https://sas-space.sas.ac.uk/4830/1/Ecocide_research_report_19_July_13.pdf |website=School of Advanced Study, University of London |first1=Anja |last1=Gauger |first2=Mai |last2=Pouye Rabatel-Fernel |first3=Louise |last3=Kulbicki |first4=Damien |last4=Short |first5=Polly |last5=Higgins |date=2012 |publisher=Human Rights Consortium |url-status=live |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20231202211859/https://sas-space.sas.ac.uk/4830/1/Ecocide_research_report_19_July_13.pdf |archive-date= Dec 2, 2023 }}</ref>

During its 52nd session, the UN General Assembly decided to convene a diplomatic conference "to finalize and adopt a convention on the establishment of an international criminal court".<ref name="un.org"/><ref name=rome-conf/> The conference was convened in [[Rome]] from 15 June to 17 July 1998. It was attended by representatives from 161 member states, along with observers from various other organizations, intergovernmental organizations and agencies, and non-governmental organizations (including many human rights groups) and was held at the headquarters of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, located about 4&nbsp;km away from the Vatican (one of the states represented).<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://legal.un.org/icc/statute/finalfra.htm |date=17 July 1998 |website=United Nations - Office of Legal Affairs |title=Final Act of the International Criminal Court |access-date=18 October 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131019222526/http://legal.un.org/icc/statute/finalfra.htm |archive-date=19 October 2013 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://legal.un.org/diplomaticconferences/icc-1998/vol/english/vol_II_e.pdf |title=RomeUnited Nations Diplomatic Conference listof Plenipotentiaries on the Establishmentofattendeesan International Criminal Court - Rome, 15 June - 17 July 1998 Official Records - Summary records of the plenary meetings and meetingof the meetings of the Committee of the Whole |series=Volume II |date=2002 |website=United Nations - Office of Legal notesAffairs |access-date=18 October 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131019222446/http://legal.un.org/diplomaticconferences/icc-1998/vol/english/vol_II_e.pdf |archive-date=19 October 2013 |url-status=livedead }}</ref> On 17 July 1998, the Rome Statute was adopted by a vote of 120 to 7, with 21 countries abstaining.<ref name="scharf"/>