The International Criminal Court (ICC) was established in 2002 under the Rome Statute as the first permanent international tribunal with the mandate to prosecute individuals for the gravest crimes of concern to the international community. Independent from the United Nations, though it maintains a cooperative relationship with it, the ICC is headquartered in The Hague, Netherlands. The Court is composed of 18 judges elected by the Assembly of States Parties, ensuring representation from different legal systems and regions of the world. The ICC holds jurisdiction over four core crimes: genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes, and the crime of aggression. Its main objectives are to ensure accountability for perpetrators of these crimes, provide justice for victims, and deter future violations of international humanitarian law. While the ICC may only exercise jurisdiction when national courts are unwilling or unable to prosecute, its establishment marked a historic step towards strengthening international justice and ending impunity on a global scale.
General Assembly
The United Nations’ General Assembly was established in 1945 under the Charter of the United Nations. It is the only organ of the UN…