What are the steps of the ICC process?
As an international court, the ICC 's legal process may function differently from that in your national jurisdiction. The International Criminal Court (ICC) process involves a preliminary examination, investigation, and trial for crimes like genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity, and aggression. Cases are initiated by state parties, the UN Security Council, or the Prosecutor on their own initiative. Once an arrest warrant is issued and the accused is in custody, a pre-trial chamber confirms charges before a trial, after which both sides can appeal any verdict. 1. Preliminary Examination The Prosecutor's office begins by conducting a preliminary examination to determine if there is sufficient evidence and if the case falls under the court's jurisdiction. The ICC only investigates crimes that have occurred since its creation in July 2002. Jurisdiction can be based on the location of the crime (territory of a state party) or the nationality of the accused (a national...