1. A person
shall not be criminally responsible under this Statute unless the conduct
in question constitutes, at the time it takes place, a crime within the
jurisdiction of the Court.
2. The
definition of a crime shall be strictly construed and shall not be extended
by analogy. In case of ambiguity, the definition shall be interpreted in
favour of the person being investigated, prosecuted or convicted.
3. This article shall not affect the characterization of any conduct as criminal under international law independently of this Statute.
A person convicted by the Court may be punished only in accordance with
this Statute.
1. No
person shall be criminally responsible under this Statute for conduct prior
to the entry into force of the Statute.
2. In
the event of a change in the law applicable to a given case prior to a
final judgement, the law more favourable to the person being investigated,
prosecuted or convicted shall apply.
1. The
Court shall have jurisdiction over natural persons pursuant to this Statute.
2. A
person who commits a crime within the jurisdiction of the Court shall be
individually responsible and liable for punishment in accordance with this
Statute.
3. In
accordance with this Statute, a person shall be criminally responsible
and liable for punishment for a crime within the jurisdiction of the Court
if that person:
(b) Orders, solicits or induces the commission of such a crime which in fact occurs or is attempted;
(c) For the purpose of facilitating the commission of such a crime, aids, abets or otherwise assists in its commission or its attempted commission, including providing the means for its commission;
(d) In any other way contributes to the commission or attempted commission of such a crime by a group of persons acting with a common purpose. Such contribution shall be intentional and shall either:
(ii) Be made in the knowledge
of the intention of the group to commit the crime;
(f) Attempts to commit such a crime by taking action that commences its execution by means of a substantial step, but the crime does not occur because of circumstances independent of the person's intentions. However, a person who abandons the effort to commit the crime or otherwise prevents the completion of the crime shall not be liable for punishment under this Statute for the attempt to commit that crime if that person completely and voluntarily gave up the criminal purpose.
The Court shall have no jurisdiction over any person who was under the
age of 18 at the time of the alleged commission of a crime.
1. This
Statute shall apply equally to all persons without any distinction based
on official capacity. In particular, official capacity as a Head of State
or Government, a member of a Government or parliament, an elected representative
or a government official shall in no case exempt a person from criminal
responsibility under this Statute, nor shall it, in and of itself, constitute
a ground for reduction of sentence.
2. Immunities
or special procedural rules which may attach to the official capacity of
a person, whether under national or international law, shall not bar the
Court from exercising its jurisdiction over such a person.
In addition to other grounds of criminal responsibility under this Statute for crimes within the jurisdiction of the Court:
(ii) That military commander or
person failed to take all necessary and reasonable measures within his
or her power to prevent or repress their commission or to submit the matter
to the competent authorities for investigation and prosecution.
(ii) The crimes concerned activities that were within the effective responsibility and control of the superior; and
(iii) The superior failed to take all necessary and reasonable measures within his or her power to prevent or repress their commission or to submit the matter to the competent authorities for investigation and prosecution.
The crimes within the jurisdiction of the Court shall not be subject to
any statute of limitations.
1. Unless
otherwise provided, a person shall be criminally responsible and liable
for punishment for a crime within the jurisdiction of the Court only if
the material elements are committed with intent and knowledge.
2. For
the purposes of this article, a person has intent where:
(b) In relation to a consequence, that person means to cause that consequence or is aware that it will occur in the ordinary course of events.
1. In addition to other grounds for excluding criminal responsibility provided for in this Statute, a person shall not be criminally responsible if, at the time of that person's conduct:
(b) The person is in a state of intoxication that destroys that person's capacity to appreciate the unlawfulness or nature of his or her conduct, or capacity to control his or her conduct to conform to the requirements of law, unless the person has become voluntarily intoxicated under such circumstances that the person knew, or disregarded the risk, that, as a result of the intoxication, he or she was likely to engage in conduct constituting a crime within the jurisdiction of the Court;
(c) The person acts reasonably to defend himself or herself or another person or, in the case of war crimes, property which is essential for the survival of the person or another person or property which is essential for accomplishing a military mission, against an imminent and unlawful use of force in a manner proportionate to the degree of danger to the person or the other person or property protected. The fact that the person was involved in a defensive operation conducted by forces shall not in itself constitute a ground for excluding criminal responsibility under this subparagraph;
(d) The conduct which is alleged to constitute a crime within the jurisdiction of the Court has been caused by duress resulting from a threat of imminent death or of continuing or imminent serious bodily harm against that person or another person, and the person acts necessarily and reasonably to avoid this threat, provided that the person does not intend to cause a greater harm than the one sought to be avoided. Such a threat may either be:
(ii) Constituted by other circumstances beyond that person's control.
1. A mistake
of fact shall be a ground for excluding criminal responsibility only if
it negates the mental element required by the crime.
2. A
mistake of law as to whether a particular type of conduct is a crime within
the jurisdiction of the Court shall not be a ground for excluding criminal
responsibility. A mistake of law may, however, be a ground for excluding
criminal responsibility if it negates the mental element required by such
a crime, or as provided for in article 33.
1. The fact that a crime within the jurisdiction of the Court has been committed by a person pursuant to an order of a Government or of a superior, whether military or civilian, shall not relieve that person of criminal responsibility unless:
(b) The person did not know that the order was unlawful; and
(c) The order was not manifestly unlawful.