Level 8 of 10: The UN and global treaty bodies

International Criminal Court (ICC)

The International Criminal Court is a permanent court based in The Hague that can prosecute individuals for genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity and the crime of aggression. The Rome Statute was adopted on 17 July 1998 and entered into force on 1 July 2002. As of 23 October 2026 the UN Treaty Collection records 125 states parties and 137 signatories. The ICC is not part of the UN but works with it under a cooperation agreement, and the Security Council can refer situations to it. The court is a court of last resort, and it cannot make arrests without state support. The Assembly of States Parties elects its 18 judges and oversees its Prosecutor. In July 2026 the Assembly removed Prosecutor Karim Khan; two deputy prosecutors lead the Office of the Prosecutor.

Who leads it

• President of the Court: Tomoko Akane (news.un.org)
• Deputy Prosecutor (co-leading the Office of the Prosecutor): Nazhat Shameem Khan (news.un.org)
• Deputy Prosecutor (co-leading the Office of the Prosecutor): Mame Mandiaye Niang (news.un.org)

The UK and the ICC

The UK signed the Rome Statute on 30 November 1998 and ratified it on 4 October 2001, according to the UN Treaty Collection. It made declarations on article 8 (customary international law) and article 87(2) (requests for cooperation in English), and extended the Statute to territories including Anguilla, Bermuda, Gibraltar and the Isle of Man.

Key figures

What it decides

• Investigates and prosecutes genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity and the crime of aggression, as a court of last resort.
• Issues arrest warrants, such as those for Vladimir Putin (2023) and, in November 2024, for Benjamin Netanyahu and Yoav Gallant.
• Handles situations referred by states parties or by the UN Security Council, for example Darfur (2005) and Libya (2011).
• Investigations cover Afghanistan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Libya, Sudan (Darfur) and Ukraine.
• The Assembly of States Parties elects the 18 judges and decides on disciplinary proceedings against the Prosecutor.
• The Court cannot make arrests without the cooperation of states.
• The Assembly of States Parties is due to elect a new prosecutor after Khan's removal, according to UN News.

Timeline

• 1998-07-17: The Rome Statute is adopted at the UN Diplomatic Conference of Plenipotentiaries in Rome. (treaties.un.org)
• 2001-10-04: The United Kingdom ratifies the Rome Statute. (treaties.un.org)
• 2002-07-01: The Rome Statute enters into force. (treaties.un.org)
• 2024: The ICC issues arrest warrants for Benjamin Netanyahu and Yoav Gallant. (news.un.org)
• 2025-05-16: Prosecutor Karim Khan steps aside pending a UN OIOS investigation. (news.un.org)
• 2026-06-08: The Bureau refers disciplinary proceedings to the Assembly and suspends the Prosecutor. (news.un.org)
• 2026-07-24: The Assembly of States Parties removes Karim Khan; 82 states parties find serious misconduct. (news.un.org)
• 2026-08-18: The United States announces further sanctions, including on President Tomoko Akane. (news.un.org)

How it is held to account

• The Assembly of States Parties elects the judges and can remove the Prosecutor, as it did on 24 July 2026 (UN News).
• For the 2025 allegations against the Prosecutor, the ICC asked the UN Office of Internal Oversight Services to investigate; the Independent Oversight Mechanism normally handles such matters (UN News, May 2025).
• The Bureau of the Assembly can suspend a Prosecutor pending a final decision, as it did on 8 June 2026.
• The Court reports to the UN Security Council when needed on matters involving Security Council referrals.
• The Rome Statute's complementarity principle makes the ICC a court of last resort, so national courts have primary responsibility (UN News).
• The ICC publishes statements on Assembly decisions and on threats to its independence.

Records you can check

• Rome Statute status (UN Treaty Collection)
  Parties, signatories, declarations and withdrawal notifications
• UN News: Prosecutor Karim Khan dismissed
  July 2026 vote of the Assembly and the ICC's structure
• UN News: US sanctions on the ICC
  August 2026 sanctions and ICC statement
• UN News: deputies take over
  May 2025 leave and OIOS probe, and ICC background

Common questions

What is the International Criminal Court?

It is a permanent court in The Hague that can prosecute individuals for genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity and aggression. The Rome Statute created it in 2002. UN News describes it as a court of last resort that is not part of the UN, which cooperates with it under an agreement.

How many countries are in the ICC?

The UN Treaty Collection records 125 states parties and 137 signatories as of 23 October 2026. Six states have notified withdrawal, effective between June and September 2027: Niger, Burkina Faso, Mali, Venezuela, Chad and Naoero. Hungary withdrew its notification on 29 May 2026.

Is the UK a member of the ICC?

Yes. The UK signed the Rome Statute on 30 November 1998 and ratified it on 4 October 2001, according to the UN Treaty Collection. It made declarations on article 8 and article 87(2), and extended the Statute to territories including Anguilla, Bermuda, Gibraltar and the Isle of Man.

Who leads the ICC prosecution now?

Deputy Prosecutors Nazhat Shameem Khan and Mame Mandiaye Niang head the Office of the Prosecutor. They took over in May 2025 when Karim Khan stepped aside, and continued after the Assembly of States Parties removed him on 24 July 2026. UN News says the Assembly will elect a new prosecutor.

Why was the ICC Prosecutor removed?

UN News reports that the Assembly of States Parties found by a majority of 82 states parties that Karim Khan committed serious misconduct and a serious breach of duty. It followed a UN Office of Internal Oversight Services investigation, an expert panel and a Bureau referral. Khan had denied the allegations.

Does the ICC have its own police?

No. UN News says the court cannot make arrests without state support. States parties have obligations to cooperate with it, and the Security Council may also refer situations. The court has seven convictions and 34 current cases, according to UN News in July 2026.

Has the ICC been sanctioned?

UN News reports that the United States has sanctioned ICC personnel: in August 2026 it announced sanctions on President Tomoko Akane and a senior trial lawyer. Nine of the court's 18 judges, both deputy prosecutors and the former prosecutor are now barred from transacting with US citizens. The ICC called the move a flagrant attack on its independence.

Other bodies at level 8

• Commonwealth of Nations
• International Court of Justice
• International Labour Organization
• Interpol
• NATO
• UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)
• United Nations (General Assembly and Security Council)
• United Nations Children's Fund
• United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization
• United Nations Human Rights Council
• United Nations Security Council
• World Food Programme
• World Health Organization
• World Trade Organization

Sources

• Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court: status (UN Treaty Collection), read 23 October 2026
• International Criminal Court Prosecutor Karim Khan dismissed (UN News), read 23 October 2026
• New US sanctions a flagrant attack against its independence (UN News), read 23 October 2026
• Deputies take over amid Prosecutor misconduct probe (UN News), read 23 October 2026