Overview of International Criminal Court investigations since 2002

The issuance of arrest warrants by the International Criminal Court (ICC) against Vladimir Putin in March 2023 for war crimes committed on Ukrainian territory, and then against Benjamin Netanyahu in November 2024 for war crimes and crimes against humanity committed on Palestinian territory, marks a turning point. For the first time, two leaders from countries outside the African continent are being directly prosecuted by the ICC. Furthermore, the warrant issued against the Israeli prime minister is the first prosecution of a politician perceived as Western. By opening and pursuing these investigations, the Court is overcoming the criticism that has long been levelled against it, namely that it only targets African leaders or states whose interests are far removed from those of Western states. This criticism had led to the initiation of several withdrawal procedures (only those of Burundi and then the Philippines, but in a different context, were successful).

Reactions to the recently issued arrest warrants concerning the situations in Ukraine and Palestine have been mixed, ranging from strong support to harsh criticism. The ICC thus appears to be at the heart of the rivalries at play in the context of the major conflicts currently underway. This provides an opportunity to review, through maps and infographics, the various investigations conducted by the Court over the past two decades, their specific characteristics, and their geographical distribution.

For more information on the investigations opened by the ICC: Afghanistan – Bangladesh/Myanmar – Burundi – Centrafrica (I et II) – Côte d’Ivoire – Georgia – Lituania/Bielorussia – Kenya – Libya – Mali – Nigeria – Ouganda – « Palestine » State – Philippines – Democratic Republic of Congo – Sudan (Darfour) – Ukraine – Venezuela (I et II)