The Court prosecutes individuals, not states
The International Criminal Court was created by the Rome Statute to prosecute individuals for genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes and the crime of aggression within the Court's jurisdictional framework.
It is distinct from the International Court of Justice, which hears disputes between states.
Jurisdiction has defined routes and limits
The Court's jurisdiction can depend on territorial or nationality links to a state party, a state's acceptance of jurisdiction, or a referral by the UN Security Council, subject to the Rome Statute's rules.
The principle of complementarity also means the ICC is designed to act where relevant national systems are unwilling or unable genuinely to carry out proceedings.
Enforcement is the Court's structural constraint
The ICC does not maintain its own police force. It relies on states and other forms of cooperation to execute arrest warrants and assist investigations.
That gap between judicial authority and coercive capacity is central to understanding both the Court's reach and its limitations.