• The International Criminal Court at Ten

    July 1, 2012 marks the 10th anniversary of the entry into force of the Rome Statute, the founding treaty of the International Criminal Court (ICC). The ICC now has 121 states parties, has opened investigations in seven countries, and has issued one verdict. Arrest warrants are pending for suspects for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Libya, Sudan, Uganda, and the Congo, among other locales. Over the last decade, despite some performance problems and inconsistent support from governments, the court has made significant headway, giving rise to increased  expectations wherever the world’s worst crimes occur, as poignantly demonstrated by the signs held by Syrian protesters that read “Assad to The Hague.”  While the ICC is now the primary address for international criminal accountability, its daunting mandate and extended reach have made the flaws in its workings more visible. The 10th anniversary of the ICC also coincides with a new head prosecutor for the court. Fatou Bensouda, who was recently sworn in as prosecutor for a nine-year term, and other court officials face major challenges in meeting these expanded expectations for the court.

  • The entrance of the International Criminal Court (ICC).

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    ICC: The Court of Last Resort

    July 1 marks the 10th anniversary of the entry into force of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC), the first permanent international court with a mandate to investigate, charge, and try people suspected of genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes worldwide. At the ripe old age of 10, the court has become a high-profile institution on the world stage -- central to nearly every call for international justice for the most serious crimes.

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International Criminal Court

  • Syria: Strong Coalition Message Against Targeting Civilians
    Dec 21, 2012

    The Syrian National Coalition (SNC) sent a clear signal that targeting civilians violates the laws of war, Human Rights Watch said today. The coalition’s statement on December 19, 2012, condemned attacks on civilians, regardless of their nationality. 

  • A Letter to the Italian Prime Minister about Palestine and the ICC
    Dec 21, 2012
    We write to express Human Rights Watch’s deep concern regarding your December 17 statement made during a meeting with Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas, in which you call on the Palestinian Authority not to use Palestine's new non-member observer-state status at the United Nations to pursue the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court (ICC).
  • ICC: Congolese Rebel Leader Acquitted in Court’s Second Case
    Dec 18, 2012

    The International Criminal Court’s (ICC) acquittal on December 18, 2012, of a Congolese rebel leader on all charges should re-energize efforts to prosecute others for atrocities in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

  • Rome Statute Ratifications
    Dec 14, 2012
  • Living Up to the Nobel: EU Must Act on Syria
    Dec 10, 2012
    Catherine Ashton's mandate is to provide leadership on foreign policy and human rights. She has failed, however, to ensure a collective EU voice for bringing the crimes in Syria before the International Criminal Court (ICC). On 10 December, as the EU receives the Nobel Peace Prize in Oslo, EU foreign ministers meeting back in Brussels should decide to move beyond vague references to “accountability” for crimes in Syria and make clear that they support a UN Security Council referral of the situation to the ICC.
  • Guinea: Step Up Efforts to Ensure Justice for Stadium Massacre
    Dec 5, 2012

    The Guinean government should increase support to the domestic investigation of the September 28, 2009 massacre, rapes, and other abuses to enable fair, credible prosecutions of the crimes without further delay, Human Rights Watch said in a report released today. The conclusion is based on extensive research and analysis of the factors holding up the investigation. International partners – including the European Union (EU), United States, and the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights – also should increase pressure and support for justice to be done.

     

  • Palestine: Newest ‘Observer State’ Should Act on Rights Treaties
    Nov 29, 2012
    Palestinian leaders should pursue ratification of core international human rights treaties and the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC). Governments that have pressed Palestine to forgo membership in the ICC, including the United Kingdom, or have said that they will impose sanctions on Palestine if it seeks ICC membership, namely Israel, should end such pressure and support universal ratification of the ICC treaty.
  • South Africa can contribute to ending bloodshed in Syria
    Nov 27, 2012

    To limit the violations by both sides and ensure justice for victims, South Africa and other key members of the international community should support the referral of Syria to the International Criminal Court.

  • Human Rights Watch Statement to the General Debate of the International Criminal Court’s Eleventh Assembly of States Parties
    Nov 26, 2012

    As the court enters its second decade, each component of the Rome Statute system—including court officials and staff, states parties, and the Assembly of States Parties—will need to heighten their efforts to ensure that the ICC can meet its founders’ aspirations and the expectations of victims around the world.

  • Letter to ICC Prosecutor on the Court's Relationship with Africa
    Nov 15, 2012

    We, the undersigned African civil society organizations and international nongovernmental organizations with a presence in Africa, write to congratulate you on your recent appointment as Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC). A critical challenge for the Office of the Prosecutor, and the ICC more generally, is its relationship with Africa, and particularly the African Union. In this context, we would like to make several recommendations for your work, which we believe will help promote the court’s effective functioning and work in Africa.

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