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Which kinds of crimes does international criminal law address?

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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.

International criminal law addresses several categories of offenses that are considered international by their nature or by the context in which they are committed. These crimes are generally categorized as follows:

Core International Crimes: The International Criminal Court (ICC), under the Rome Statute, has jurisdiction over four primary categories of serious offenses:12
- Genocide: Acts committed with the intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial, or religious group.23
- Crimes against humanity: Various acts, such as murder, torture, rape, and apartheid, when committed as part of a widespread or systematic attack directed against any civilian population.142
- War crimes: Grave breaches of the Geneva Conventions, including the mistreatment of prisoners, targeting of noncombatants, or attacks on civilian infrastructure.12
- Crimes against peace (Aggression): The use of armed force by a state against the sovereignty or territorial integrity of another state.12
Transborder Crimes: These are international by nature because they may occur across borders or in international zones like the high seas. Examples include trafficking in persons, the slave trade, piracy, and hijacking.1

International criminal law is essential for upholding the principle that individuals, including state leaders, can be held accountable for atrocities that shock the conscience of mankind.4