International Criminal Court: The Politics and Practice of Prosecuting Atrocity Crimes

In July 1998, at a diplomatic conference in Rome, the states took a historic decision: with 120-7 votes it was decided to establish the International Criminal Court (ICC). Never before had there been a permanent international court to hold accountable those responsible for war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide. Then UN Secretary General Kofi Annan commented that this was the most important addition to international law since the founding of the United Nations. This accessible and concise new volume will both introduce the ICC and assess the Court’s status and potential as global institution. The book will start out by going over the historical background of the ICC, its organizational set-up, membership and mandate. The following chapters will deal with the Court’s evolving practice in regard to ongoing conflicts, its complex relationship to the UN Security Council and its standing vis-a-vis the African Union, the European Union, the United States and other major actors. International Criminal Court will give the reader a comprehensive, yet accessible introduction to the functioning and impact of one of the most recent additions to global governance and will be key reading for students of international law, international organizations and human rights.