Karim Khan-a British lawyer was sworn in as the new chief prosecutor for the International Criminal Court. He takes over from Fatou Bensouda of Gambia, whose nine-year term ended on June 15, 2021.
About International Criminal Court (ICC)
- The International Criminal Court (ICC) investigates and, where warranted, tries individuals charged with the gravest crimes of concern to the international community: genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity and the crime of aggression.
- Governed by an international treaty called the Rome Statute, the ICC is the world’s first permanent international criminal court.
- While not a United Nations organization, the Court has a cooperation agreement with the United Nations.
- When a situation is not within the Court’s jurisdiction, the United Nations Security Council can refer the situation to the ICC granting it jurisdiction. This has been done in the situations in Darfur (Sudan) and Libya.
