International Criminal Court

Some of the key events about International Criminal Court

• 1998

  The Rome Statute, establishing the International Criminal Court, was adopted by 120 countries
• 2002

  The ICC officially came into existence after 60 countries ratified the Rome Statute
• 2002

  Failed to secure cooperation from major world powers like the United States, China, and Russia
• 2003

  The Court's first judges were sworn in, marking the beginning of its operational phase
• 2004

  The ICC launched its first investigation into alleged crimes in Uganda
• 2005

  The Court issued its first arrest warrants for leaders of the Lord's Resistance Army in Uganda
• 2005

  Issued arrest warrant for Sudanese president, leading to accusations of bias against African leaders
• 2006

  The ICC opened its first trial, focusing on the recruitment of child soldiers in the Democratic Republic of Congo
• 2008

  Faced criticism for slow progress in prosecutions and high costs
• 2010

  The Rome Statute was amended to include the crime of aggression within the Court's jurisdiction
• 2011

  Accused of selective justice for focusing primarily on African conflicts
• 2012

  The ICC delivered its first verdict, convicting a Congolese warlord of war crimes
• 2014

  Dropped charges against Kenyan president due to lack of evidence, raising questions about effectiveness
• 2016

  The Court conducted its first trial for cultural destruction as a war crime, related to events in Mali
• 2016

  Several African countries announced intentions to withdraw from the ICC, citing perceived bias
• 2017

  Burundi became the first country to officially withdraw from the ICC
• 2018

  Acquitted former Congolese vice president, leading to concerns about the court's ability to secure convictions
• 2019

  The ICC achieved a milestone of 123 member states, demonstrating growing international support
• 2019

  Rejected request to investigate alleged war crimes in Afghanistan, sparking criticism of bowing to political pressure
• 2020

  Faced sanctions from the United States for investigating potential war crimes in Afghanistan

Disclaimer: This material is written based on information taken from open sources, including Wikipedia, news media, podcasts, and other public sources.