The International Criminal Court is the world's first permanent international criminal court, which is established and governed by the Rome Statute. It is located in The Hague, the Netherlands.
The adoption of the Rome Statute in 1998 was a historic step, reflecting the determination of the world community to put an end to impunity and to contribute to the prevention of crimes which threaten the peace, security and well-being of the world.
The ICC has jurisdiction over the most serious crimes of concern to the international community: genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes committed after 1 July 2002.