La Cour pénale internationale (CPI) mène des enquêtes et, le cas échéant, juge les personnes accusées des crimes les plus graves qui touchent l’ensemble de la communauté internationale : génocide, crimes de guerre, crimes contre l’humanité et crime d’agression.
« Cette cause … est la cause de toute l’humanité »
Kofi Annan, ancien Secrétaire général de l’Organisation des Nations Unies
La Cour participe à une lutte mondiale visant à mettre un terme à l’impunité et s’emploie, au moyen de la justice internationale, à amener les auteurs des crimes à répondre de leurs actes et à contribuer à empêcher que ces crimes ne soient à nouveau perpétrés.
Ces objectifs, la Cour ne peut pas les atteindre seule. En qualité de juridiction de dernier ressort, elle s’efforce de compléter les juridictions nationales et non de les remplacer. Régie par un traité international appelé le Statut de Rome, la CPI est la première juridiction pénale internationale permanente.
Vers la stabilité et la paix durable
La justice est une condition essentielle à une paix durable. La justice internationale est capable de contribuer à instaurer une paix à long terme, une stabilité et un développement équitable au sein des sociétés sortant d’un conflit. Ces éléments sont fondamentaux pour construire un avenir exempt de violence.
Principales caractéristiques
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Trials are fair
ICC judges conduct judicial proceedings and ensure the fairness of proceedings.
The Prosecution is independent
The Office of the Prosecutor is an independent organ of the Court. The Prosecutor conducts preliminary examinations, investigations and is the only one who can bring cases before the Court.
Defendants' rights are upheld
Defendants are entitled to public, fair proceedings that they can follow in a language they fully understand, and more.
Victims' voices are heard
Victim's voices are heard in the Courtroom, as the Rome Statute grants victims unprecedented rights to participate in ICC proceedings. Watch now.
Participating victims and witnesses are protected
The ICC has a victim and witness protection programme that uses both operational and procedural protective measures.
Outreach creates two-way dialogue
The Court engages in two-way dialogue directly with communities that have suffered from crimes under its jurisdiction, so that they can communicate directly with the Court and gain a sense of ownership in the judicial process.
The fight against impunity continues
By supporting the Court, the countries that have joined the Rome Statute system have taken a stand against those who, in the past, would have had no one to answer to after committing widespread, systematic international crimes. The ICC calls on all countries to join the fight against impunity, so that perpetrators of such crimes are punished, and to help prevent future occurrences of these crimes
Facts and Figures
Today the Court has:
Over 900 staff members: From approximately 100 States.
6 official languages: English, French, Arabic, Chinese, Russian and Spanish.
1 ICC Liaison Office to the United Nations in New York and 7 ICC Country Offices in Kinshasa and Bunia (Democratic Republic of the Congo, “DRC”); Kampala (Uganda); Bangui (Central African Republic, “CAR”); Abidjan (Côte d’Ivoire); Tbilisi (Georgia); and Bamako (Mali).
2 working languages: English and French.
Headquarters: The Hague, the Netherlands.
2024 budget: €187,084,300
There have thus far been 32 cases before the Court, with some cases having more than one suspect.
ICC judges have issued 59 arrest warrants. Thanks to cooperation from States, 21 people have been detained in the ICC detention centre and have appeared before the Court. 30 people remain at large. Charges have been dropped against 7 people due to their deaths.
ICC judges have also issued 9 summonses to appear.
The judges have issued 11 convictions and 4 acquittals.