International Criminal Court

Line Engbo Gissel

doi:10.4337/9781035309306.00044

International Criminal Court

Line Engbo Gissel

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Encyclopedia chapter › Research › peer-review

Abstract

33 African states – 61% of the continent – are members of the International Criminal Court (ICC). They have ratified the Rome Statute, thereby giving the Court jurisdiction over war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide. Africa is the region with the greatest experience of international criminal justice because most of the Court’s investigations, trials, and appeals have concerned African actors. Relations between African states, the African Union (AU), and the ICC fall into three related themes: Participation in ICC establishment; ICC interventions in African politics; and the “African backlash” against the ICC.

Original language	English
Title of host publication	Elgar Encyclopedia of African Politics
Editors	Anne Mette Kjær, Moses Khisa, Alecia Ndlovu
Number of pages	6
Place of Publication	Cheltenham
Publisher	Edward Elgar Publishing
Publication date	12 Mar 2026
Pages	217-222
Chapter	38
ISBN (Print)	9781035309290
ISBN (Electronic)	9781035309306
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.4337/9781035309306.00044
Publication status	Published - 12 Mar 2026

Series	Elgar Encyclopedias in the Social Sciences series

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

SDG 16 Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

Keywords

Africa
African Union
Backlash
International Criminal Court
Intervention

Access to Document

10.4337/9781035309306.00044

Citation Styles

@inbook{cb08493eff2b47b682e4a745260c1a09,

title = "International Criminal Court",

abstract = "33 African states – 61\% of the continent – are members of the International Criminal Court (ICC). They have ratified the Rome Statute, thereby giving the Court jurisdiction over war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide. Africa is the region with the greatest experience of international criminal justice because most of the Court{\textquoteright}s investigations, trials, and appeals have concerned African actors. Relations between African states, the African Union (AU), and the ICC fall into three related themes: Participation in ICC establishment; ICC interventions in African politics; and the “African backlash” against the ICC.",

keywords = "Africa, African Union, Backlash, International Criminal Court, Intervention, Africa, African Union, Backlash, International Criminal Court, Intervention",

author = "Gissel, \{Line Engbo\}",

year = "2026",

month = mar,

day = "12",

doi = "10.4337/9781035309306.00044",

language = "English",

isbn = "9781035309290",

series = "Elgar Encyclopedias in the Social Sciences series",

pages = "217--222",

editor = "Kj{\ae}r, \{Anne Mette\} and Moses Khisa and Alecia Ndlovu",

booktitle = "Elgar Encyclopedia of African Politics",

publisher = "Edward Elgar Publishing",

}

TY - ENCYC

T1 - International Criminal Court

AU - Gissel, Line Engbo

PY - 2026/3/12

Y1 - 2026/3/12

N2 - 33 African states – 61% of the continent – are members of the International Criminal Court (ICC). They have ratified the Rome Statute, thereby giving the Court jurisdiction over war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide. Africa is the region with the greatest experience of international criminal justice because most of the Court’s investigations, trials, and appeals have concerned African actors. Relations between African states, the African Union (AU), and the ICC fall into three related themes: Participation in ICC establishment; ICC interventions in African politics; and the “African backlash” against the ICC.

AB - 33 African states – 61% of the continent – are members of the International Criminal Court (ICC). They have ratified the Rome Statute, thereby giving the Court jurisdiction over war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide. Africa is the region with the greatest experience of international criminal justice because most of the Court’s investigations, trials, and appeals have concerned African actors. Relations between African states, the African Union (AU), and the ICC fall into three related themes: Participation in ICC establishment; ICC interventions in African politics; and the “African backlash” against the ICC.

KW - Africa

KW - African Union

KW - Backlash

KW - International Criminal Court

KW - Intervention

KW - Africa

KW - African Union

KW - Backlash

KW - International Criminal Court

KW - Intervention

UR - https://www.elgaronline.com/display/book/9781035309306/9781035309306.xml?tab_body=accessibilityMetadata-101529

U2 - 10.4337/9781035309306.00044

DO - 10.4337/9781035309306.00044

M3 - Encyclopedia chapter

SN - 9781035309290

T3 - Elgar Encyclopedias in the Social Sciences series

SP - 217

EP - 222

BT - Elgar Encyclopedia of African Politics

A2 - Kjær, Anne Mette

A2 - Khisa, Moses

A2 - Ndlovu, Alecia

PB - Edward Elgar Publishing

CY - Cheltenham

ER -

International Criminal Court

Abstract

UN SDGs

Keywords

Access to Document

Other files and links

Non-Cooperation with the International Criminal Court in Gatekeeper States: Regime Security in Deby’s Chad

Africa and the Backlash Against International Courts

A Different Kind of Court: Africa’s Support for the International Criminal Court, 1993-2003

Citation Styles