International Crimes

International criminal law involves the most serious crimes of concern to the global community: its violations can result in imprisonment. The “core” crimes are genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity (these are also often referred to as “atrocity crimes”).

As this short briefing paper explains, these crimes have been defined over time in a range of international agreements, from the first Hague agreements on military conduct during wartime at the end of the 19th century to the creation of the International Criminal Court by the Rome Statute in 1998.

Download the document to learn more:

• What are crimes against humanity?
• Why is it important to investigate international crimes?
• Is there a statute of limitations on international crimes?
• How are investigations of international crimes different than investigating ordinary crimes?
• Can international crimes be prosecuted in domestic courts?
• What are the steps leading to an ICC prosecution?