The Rome statute, which got brought up on July 17th 1998 but placed into action on July 1st 2002, is the foundation of the International Criminal Court. At the beginning It was only ratified by 60 states but this number grew very fast (123 ratification today).Many more signed, 139 today, but didn't ratify (pass by state ex: parliament). The Rome Statute is basically a treaty hat was signed by various states worldwide agreeing to the formation of an International Criminal Court. This treaty underlined the crimes that fall under the International Criminal Court jurisdiction, how to apply its power, where it comes from and how trials are to be held (procedure). All the states that signed this treaty are considered to be "States Parties". Having signed this document, states are, in a way, forced to cooperate with the ICC (International Criminal Court). A States signature meant they where willing to cooperate.
Crimes that fall under the ICC's jurisdiction: War crimes, genocides, crimes against humanity, murder, extermination, enslavement, torture, persecution against a specific political, racial or religious group, and etc.
*As of 2017 it also has jurisdiction on crimes of aggression: Invasions (states), military occupation, blockage of ports or coasts...
List of countries who ratified the rome Statute:
Crimes that fall under the ICC's jurisdiction: War crimes, genocides, crimes against humanity, murder, extermination, enslavement, torture, persecution against a specific political, racial or religious group, and etc.
*As of 2017 it also has jurisdiction on crimes of aggression: Invasions (states), military occupation, blockage of ports or coasts...
List of countries who ratified the rome Statute:
- Afghanistan
- Albania
- Andorra
- Antigua and Barbuda
- Argentina
- Australia
- Austria
- Bangladesh
- Barbados
- Belgium
- Belize
- Benin
- Bolivia
- Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Botswana
- Brazil
- Bulgaria
- Burkina Faso
- Burundi
- Cabo Verde
- Cambodia
- Canada
- Central African Republic
- Chad
- Chile
- Colombia
- Comoros
- Congo
- Cook Islands
- Costa Rica
- Cote D'Ivoire
- Croatia
- Cyprus
- Czech Republic
- Democratic Republic of The Congo
- Denmark
- Djibouti
- Dominica
- Dominican Republic
- Ecuador
- Estonia
- Fiji
- Finland
- France
- Gabon
- Gambia
- Georgia
- Germany
- Ghana
- Greece
- Grenada
- Guatemala
- Guinea
- Guyana
- Honduras
- Hungary
- Iceland
- Ireland
- Italy
- Japan
- Jordan
- Kenya
- Latvia
- Lesotho
- Liberia
- Liechtenstein
- Lithuania
- Luxembourg
- Madagascar
- Malawi
- Maldives
- Mali
- Malta
- Marshall Islands
- Mauritius
- Mexico
- Mongolia
- Montenegro
- Namibia
- Nauru
- Netherlands
- New Zealand
- Niger
- Nigeria
- Norway
- Panama
- Paraguay
- Peru
- Philippines
- Poland
- Portugal
- Republic of Korea
- Republic of Moldova
- Romania
- Samoa
- San Marino
- Senegal
- Serbia
- Seychelles
- Sierra Leone
- Slovakia
- Slovenia
- South Africa
- Spain
- St.Kitts and Nevis
- St.Lucia
- St.Vincent and the Grenadines
- State of Palestine
- Suriname
- Sweden
- Switzerland
- Tajikistan
- The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia
- Timor-Leste
- Trinidad and Tobago
- Tunisia
- Uganda
- United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
- United Republic of Tanzania
- Uruguay
- Vanuatu
- Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of)
- Zambia
In addition to these countries, there was also countries (representatives) that signed the Rome Statute, meaning that they agree with the formation of an International Criminal Court, but the state didn't ratify it (didn't pass by the governing body of the state). These countries aren't necessarily members of the ICC because the state didn't agree to it yet (ratify).These countries are:
- Algeria
- Angola
- Armenia
- Bahamas
- Bahrain
- Cameroon
- Egypt
- Eritrea
- Guinea-Bissau
- Haiti
- Iran (Islamic Republic of)
- Israel
- Jamaica
- Kuwait
- Kyrgyzstan
- Monaco
- Morocco
- Mozambique
- Oman
- Russian Federation
- Sao Tome and Principe
- Solomon Islands
- Sudan
- Syrian Arab Republic
- Thailand
- Ukraine
- United Arab Emirates
- United States of America
- Uzbekistan
- Yemen
- Zimbabwe
*You may notice that when you add up the ratifications and the signatures it doesn't give you 139 (signatures). This is so because some countries ratified the treaty in their states without signing the Rome Statute. Some went straight to ratification.