US President Donald Trump has authorised economical and question sanctions targeting radical who enactment connected International Criminal Court investigations of US citizens oregon US allies specified arsenic Israel.
The move, which was condemned by the court, is simply a protestation against the ICC’s apprehension warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Here are immoderate facts astir the ICC:
When was the ICC acceptable up and why?
The tribunal was established successful 2002 to prosecute warfare crimes, crimes against humanity, genocide and the transgression of aggression erstwhile subordinate states are unwilling oregon incapable to bash truthful themselves. It tin prosecute crimes committed by nationals of subordinate states oregon connected the territory of subordinate states by different actors. It has 125 subordinate states. The court’s budget for 2025 is astir 195 cardinal euros ($202 million).
What is the ICC investigating?
The ICC is conducting investigations from the Palestinian territories to Ukraine and African states specified arsenic Uganda, Democratic Republic of Congo and Kenya to Venezuela successful Latin America and Myanmar and the Philippines successful Asia, according to its website. It says determination person been 32 cases earlier the court, with immoderate cases having much than 1 suspect. ICC judges person issued astatine slightest 60 apprehension warrants.
How galore radical has the tribunal convicted?
ICC judges person issued 11 convictions and 4 acquittals. Twenty-one radical person been held successful the ICC detention centre successful The Hague and person appeared earlier the court, and 31 radical stay astatine large. Charges person been dropped against 7 radical owed to their deaths.
Of the 11 convictions, lone six person been for the court’s halfway crimes of warfare crimes and crimes against humanity. The others were for crimes specified arsenic witnesser tampering. The six convicted men were each African militia leaders from Democratic Republic of Congo, Mali and Uganda.
Terms ranged from 9 to 30 years successful prison. The maximum imaginable word is beingness imprisonment.
Who is connected the court’s apprehension warrant list?
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The ICC has issued an apprehension warrant for Netanyahu, who is accused of being criminally liable for acts including murder, persecution and utilizing starvation arsenic a limb of warfare successful the Gaza conflict.
It besides issued a warrant for Netanyahu’s erstwhile defence main Yoav Gallant and for Hamas person Ibrahim al-Masri, besides known arsenic Mohammed Deif. The warrant for Masri lists charges of killing, rape and hostage-taking during the Oct. 7, 2023, attacks successful Israel that triggered the Gaza war.
The Israeli person dismissed the determination arsenic anti-Semitic and said the accusations were absurd and false. Also connected the database is Russian President Vladimir Putin, accused of the war crime of illegally deporting hundreds of children from Ukraine. In March 2023, aft the tribunal issued the warrant, the Kremlin said the determination was meaningless. Moscow has repeatedly denied accusations that its forces person committed atrocities during its penetration of Ukraine. In caller months the ICC authoritative has besides requested apprehension warrants for elder Afghan and Myanmar leaders, but those person not been officially approved by judges.
Which countries are not members of the ICC?
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Although the tribunal is supported by galore United Nations members and the European Union, different countries specified arsenic the United States, China and Russia are not members, arguing the ICC could beryllium utilized for politically motivated prosecutions.
Myanmar is not a subordinate of the court, but successful 2018 and 2019 judges ruled the tribunal had jurisdiction implicit alleged cross-border crimes that partially took spot successful neighbouring ICC-member Bangladesh, specified arsenic deportation and persecution, and said prosecutors could unfastened a ceremonial investigation.
Israel is not a subordinate of the tribunal and does not recognise its jurisdiction, but the Palestinian territories were admitted arsenic an ICC subordinate authorities successful 2015. This, unneurotic with a ruling by judges, means the tribunal tin look astatine imaginable warfare crimes carried retired by Hamas fighters successful Israel and by Israelis successful the Gaza Strip.