The International Criminal Court (ICC) was established in 2002 with the mandate to prosecute individuals for crimes of genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes. While the ICC operates independently of the United Nations, it is endorsed by the UN General Assembly and maintains a cooperation agreement with the UN. In cases where the ICC lacks jurisdiction, the UN Security Council can refer those cases to the court.
The ICC has the authority to investigate alleged crimes committed on the territory or by nationals of any state that has ratified the Rome Statute, the treaty that created the ICC. Member states can request the ICC's prosecutor to initiate an investigation. Currently, more than 120 countries are signatories to the Rome Statute, although notable absences include Israel, the United States, Russia, China, and India.
While the ICC does not have the power to enforce arrests, signatory states are obligated to apprehend individuals facing warrants issued by the court. Following the ICC's recent decision, all member countries are required to arrest Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant if they enter their territories.
Notable past cases handled by the ICC include the issuance of arrest warrants against former Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir, Saif Gadhafi (son of the late Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi), and most recently, Russian President Vladimir Putin.
