International criminal law

International criminal law gives criminal culpability to individuals in breach of international laws. Many of the individuals prosecuted are accused of being involved in war crimes and crimes against humanity. The International Criminal Court (ICC) is the main court involved in the prosecution of people with international criminal liability, although there are other tribunals largely for the prosecution of people involved in genocides in particular places; such as the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda and the Courts based in Cambodia (for the trial of crimes committed during the Khmer Rouge regime).

The ICC is governed by the Rome Statute and is the first permanent court for international criminal law. The ICC was established to help end impunity for perpetrators of the most serious crimes which are of concern to the international community. The ICC is not part of the United Nations and is an independent international organisation. The court is a last resort for persons in breach of international criminal law and the ICC will only act if there has been no prosecution by national courts, or only a sham prosecution. In addition, the ICC will only try people accused of the gravest crimes such as genocide, crimes against humanity, or war crimes.

The prosecutor can initiate investigation on the basis of a referral from a state or from the United Nations Security Council. The prosecutor can also investigate on the basis of information on crimes within the jurisdiction of the court.

If you would like to obtain legal advice on international criminal law, Contact Law can put you in touch with a specialist international criminal law solicitor free of charge. So, if you have any questions, or would like our help in finding international criminal law solicitors please call us on 0800 046 1464 or complete the web-form above.