17 July 2024, is the Day of International Criminal Justice, which marks the 26th anniversary of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC). 

The Rome Statute is the first international treaty of its kind, establishing the International Criminal Court, and aiming to end impunity for perpetrators of genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity and the crime of aggression. 124 countries are States Parties to the Rome Statute.    

ICC President Judge Tomoko Akane remarked on this occasion: “On the Day of International Criminal Justice, it is important that we remember why the ICC was created and how essential it is that the Court be allowed to carry out its mandate fully, without external pressures. Through our work, we fight impunity for the for the most grievous crimes, and with every case we adjudicate, we take a step closer towards building a more just world. As an independent and impartial judicial body, the ICC plays a crucial role in strengthening the rule of law at the international level.”

ICC Prosecutor Karim A. A. Khan KC stated: “The mission of my Office and the Court is to vindicate the promise of international humanitarian law that all lives have equal value, and that all those subjected to violations have the right to justice. The progress made in the past years is significant, yet our work is far from complete. My Office is committed to working with all of our partners to deliver more effectively on our mandate and make the protection of the Rome Statute a tangible reality for all.”

ICC Registrar Osvaldo Zavala Giler remarked: “On the Day of International Criminal Justice, we both mark the steps taken towards developing a more just world, free from impunity for these most egregious crimes, as well as critically reaffirm the need for revitalization of this common commitment to safeguard and protect the independent and impartial mandate of the International Criminal Court and its work in service of justice and victims.”

To mark the day, the ICC President and First-Vice President Judge Rosario Salvatore Aitala will participate in several meetings and events at the United Nations headquarters in New York, including the opening of an ICC exhibition “Common Bonds” and a high-level panel discussion hosted by the Assembly of States Parties to the Rome Statute. These and other activities marking 17 July seek to strengthen support for and deepen public understanding of the Court, its mandate and processes, and the Rome Statute system as a whole. 

Background: Adopted on 17 July 1998, the Rome Statute is the ICC’s founding treaty, ratified by 124 countries. The ICC is the first permanent international criminal court established to help end impunity for the perpetrators of the most serious crimes of concern to the international community, namely war crimes, crimes against humanity, genocide and the crime of aggression. 

For further information, please contact Fadi El Abdallah, Spokesperson and Head of Public Affairs Unit, International Criminal Court, by telephone at: +31 (0)70 515-9152 or +31 (0)6 46448938 or by e-mail at: fadi.el-abdallah@icc-cpi.int.

You can also follow the Court’s activities on X, Instagram,  Facebook, YouTube and Flickr