International holidays - World Day for International Criminal Justice (World Day for International Justice)

The Rome Statute is a treaty that transfers part of the sovereignty of states that ratify it in the field of criminal proceedings to the International Criminal Court (ICC). The conference on the adoption of this agreement was held under the auspices of the UN in the capital of Italy in July 1998. Diplomats authorized by the governments of 60 countries signed the statute, and in July 2002 this agreement came into force. The document establishes the creation of a special body, the ICC, which is vested with the right to prosecute persons who participated in genocide and committed military and other serious criminal crimes against humanity. The date of ratification of the Rome Statute and accession to it by 123 states today is a holiday. World International Criminal Justice Day is observed annually on July 17th. The main office of the ICC is in The Hague. Here in the Netherlands, and in 6 branches of the organization located around the world, cases of persons who have committed war and other serious crimes since July 1, 2002 are considered. Participating states are obliged to cooperate with this international body - to pursue suspects, arrest and extradite to court . The ICC prosecutes criminals against whom local authorities are unwilling or unable to prosecute. These include, for example, prosecutions of former presidents of countries who have committed illegal acts. World Day for International Justice was established in honor of the body that guarantees punishment for the most serious crimes - mass murder of people, torture, recruitment of children as soldiers. Judges are selected from among the states that are members of UN regional groups. The official languages ​​of the ICC are English, French, Russian, Arabic, Spanish and Chinese. The court's staff consists of more than 800 people from more than 100 countries. The first verdict was handed down by the ICC against Thomas Lubanga Dyilo, who organized the unrest in the Congo. Among those convicted is Liberian President Charles Taylor, who was convicted in 2012 of looting, terrorism, sexual violence and slavery. According to the rebels, he forced them to cannibalism and performed human sacrifices. Since its inception, the ICC has examined more than 30 cases and indicted 52 people. By 2022, its judges had handed down 10 convictions and, based on the results of the investigation, 4 acquittals. The international treaty helps administer justice in countries that have ratified the Statute. Others may accept the jurisdiction of the ICC, whose provisions will be applied in these states on an ad hoc basis. Many countries have joined the treaty, incl. and Russia. In 2016, the President of the Russian Federation issued a decree on the country’s withdrawal from membership in the ICC. The Rome Statute was not signed by India, China, Ukraine, Israel, Turkey, Saudi Arabia and others. The agreement has not been ratified in the USA, Mozambique, Thailand and 28 other countries. The celebration in honor of the ICC was established in 2010 in Uganda at a conference to revise certain provisions of the Rome Statute. The holiday, celebrated on July 17, is a celebration of the struggle for justice in defense of victims of criminals who violated universal principles of morality and ethics. In honor of World Day for International Justice, social events and other events are held to strengthen ties between member countries of the Rome Statute and international justice.