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Which acts can count as crimes against humanity under the Rome Statute?

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Hear about the formation, functions, and limitations of the International Criminal Court — International criminal law Learn about the International Criminal Court.

Under the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, crimes against humanity are defined as specific acts committed as part of a widespread or systematic attack directed against any civilian population.12

These acts include, but are not limited to:

Murder12
Extermination1
Enslavement1
Torture12
Forcible transfers of populations1
Imprisonment1
Rape12
Persecution1
Enforced disappearance12
Apartheid12

For an act to be prosecuted as a crime against humanity, it must be established that the underlying criminal act occurred and that it was committed within the required context of a widespread or systematic attack on a civilian population. This framework ensures that individuals who direct or follow state policies resulting in such atrocities can be held accountable by the international community, modifying traditional notions of state sovereignty.21