ICC

International Criminal Court

The International Criminal Court (ICC) is an independent judicial institution that investigates and prosecutes individuals accused of committing the gravest offenses of concern to the international community, including genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes, and the crime of aggression. Unlike other UN bodies, the ICC focuses on individual accountability rather than state actions. Through its proceedings, the Court seeks to deliver justice to victims, uphold international law, and deter future atrocities.

Topic: Prosecutor v. Vladimir Putin (as of 2018)

By 2018, Russian President Vladimir Putin stood accused of serious international crimes. From the brutal campaigns in Chechnya, to the 2008 war in Georgia, to the 2014 annexation of Crimea and the ongoing conflict in Eastern Ukraine, the international community faces mounting evidence of war crimes and crimes against humanity tied to actions under his command. The ICC must now decide: can this sitting head of state be held accountable for aggression and systematic violence?