1945

Establishment of the International Military Tribunal known as the “Nuremberg Tribunal” by the “London Agreement” to try alleged Nazi war criminals.

1946

The Allied Powers of World War II approved the Charter that established the International Military Tribunal for the Far East known as the “Tokyo Tribunal” to prosecute Japanese war criminals.

1947

The United Nations Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide was adopted. Article I of the Convention stated that genocide is "a crime under international law", and article VI indicated that persons charged with the offence of genocide "shall be tried by a competent tribunal of the State in the territory of which the act was committed or by such international penal tribunal as may have jurisdiction . . ." In the same resolution, the General Assembly invited the International Law Commission "to study the desirability and possibility of establishing an international judicial organ for the trial of persons charged with genocide . . ."

1949 - 1954

The International Law Commission prepared several draft statutes for an ICC but differences of opinions forestalled further developments.

1989

In response to a request by Trinidad and Tobago, the United Nations General Assembly requested the International Law Commission (ILC) to resume work on an international criminal court with jurisdiction to include drug trafficking.

1993

The United Nations Security Council established the ad hoc International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia, to hold individuals accountable for the atrocities committed as a part of what was known “ethnic cleansing”.

1994

The International Law Commission completed its work on the draft Statute for an International Criminal Court and submitted the draft statute to the UN General Assembly. To consider major substantive issues arising from that draft Statute, the General Assembly established the Ad Hoc Committee on the Establishment of an International Criminal Court.

1995

The Ad Hoc Committee on the Establishment of an International Criminal Court, met twice. After the General Assembly had considered the Committee's report, it created the Preparatory Committee on the Establishment of an International Criminal Court to prepare a widely acceptable consolidated draft text for submission to a diplomatic conference.

1996 - 1998

The Preparatory Committee, met over this period and held its final session in March and April of 1998 where it completed the drafting of the text.

17 July 1998

Adoption of the Statute of the International Criminal Court at the United Nations Conference of Plenipotentiaries in Rome with the participation of representatives of 160 States, 33 Intergovernmental Organisations and a Coalition of 236 Non Governmental Organisations. 120 countries voted in favour, 7 against and 21 abstained. The ICC is established not as an organ of the United Nations but as an independent organisation with an independent budget.

16 January 2002

Agreement between the United Nations and the Government of Sierra Leone for the establishment of the Special Court for Sierra Leone to try individuals responsible for “those who bear greatest responsibility for crimes committed in Sierra Leone during the country’s violent conflict after 30th November 1996”.

11 April 2002

60 ratifications of the Statute of the International Criminal Court were required before the Statute could be enforced. The 60th instrument of ratification was deposited with the United Nations Secretary General when 10 countries simultaneously deposited their instruments of ratification as provided by Article 126 of the Rome Statute.

1 July 2002

The Statute entered into force on 1 July 2002. Anyone who commits any of the crimes under the Statute after this date is liable for prosecution by the Court. (as at 26 February 2003, with 139 signatories, 89 States have ratified or acceded the Rome Statute). In order to prepare for a smooth and timely beginning for the Court once its officials were elected, an Advance Team of Experts began work in The Hague, The Netherlands, seat of the Court. The Team was responsible for the first practical arrangements for the coming into operation of the Court. The Team consisted of eight technical experts in, amongst other things, human resources, finance, building and facilities management, information technology, legal matters, and security. With the host state, the Team did preparatory ground work to enable the Court to start recruiting and commence its basic operations when it formally begins its work. As mandated, the Advance Team also acted as a custodian for all information addressed to the Court. Systems were put in place to allow the Team to take possession of such material, register it in accordance with international standards, and store it in a safe place until it can be given to the Prosecutor. The mandate of the Advance Team ceased on 31 October 2002.

August 2002

The First session of the Assembly of States Parties to the Rome Statute adopted the budget of Euro 30 million for the first financial period of the Court (ICC-ASP/1/Res.12) and adopted various instruments including the “Rules of Procedure and Evidence” and “Elements of Crimes.” In addition, a Director of the Division of Common Services was appointed, becoming the first senior officer of the ICC responsible for leading the process to allow the Court to become operational.

15 October 2002

The Director of the Division of Common Services formally took over the functions carried out until then by the Advance Team. The Division was established with the intention to maximise efficiency and economy within the parameters of the strict division of powers set out in the Statute between the judiciary and the Office of the Prosecutor. The Division provides to the judiciary, the Office of the Prosecutor, the Registry and the Defence administrative services that are a common requirement of all four.

3 - 7 February, 2003

The resumed session of the first Assembly of States Parties elected the first 18 judges to serve the Court.

11 March 2003

Inauguration of the ICC and swearing-in of the judges before the President of the Assembly of States Parties HRH Prince Zeid Ra'ad Zeid Al Hussein of Jordan. The inaugural public session was held at the Hall of Knights in The Hague. The ceremony was attended by Her Majesty Queen Beatrix of the Kingdom of The Netherlands, in Her capacity as Head of the host state of the Court and by the United Nations Secretary-General Mr. Kofi Annan.

21 - 23 April, 2003

Second resumption of the first session of the Assembly of States Parties. Mr. Luis Moreno-Ocampo (Argentina) elected by consensus as first Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court.

16 June 2003

Mr. Moreno-Ocampo pledged his solemn undertaking during an open session of the Court presided by Judge Philippe Kirsch, President of the ICC, and witnessed by the President of the Assembly of States Parties, HRH Prince Zeid Ra’ad Zeid Al-Hussein of Jordan. 

24 June 2003

Mr. Bruno Cathala (France) elected first Registrar of the International Criminal Court by an absolute majority of the judges meeting in plenary session.

1 July 2003

First anniversary of the entry into force of the Rome Statute.

3 July 2003

Mr. Bruno Cathala pledged his solemn undertaking during an open session of the Court presided by Judge Philippe Kirsch, President of the ICC, and witnessed by the Vice-President of the Assembly of States Parties, H.E. Allieu Ibrahim Kanu.

3 November 2003

Mr. Serge Brammertz (Belgium) has made his solemn undertaking as Deputy Prosecutor (Investigations) in a ceremony presided over by Judge Akua Kuenyehia, vice-President of the ICC.

20-22 April 2004

First meeting of the Board of Directors of the Trust Fund for Victims at the ICC.

25 June 2004

Constitution of ICC Pre-Trial Chambers.

01 November 2004

Mrs Fatou Bensouda (The Gambia) made her solemn undertaking as Deputy Prosecutor (Prosecutions) of the International Criminal Court in an open session of the Court, presided over by Judge Philippe Kirsch, ICC President and witnessed by the Vice-President of the Assembly of States Parties, Felipe Paolillo.

10 March 2006

Six judges of the International Criminal Court made a solemn undertaking in an open session presided over by Judge Philippe Kirsch, President of the Court and witnessed by the President of the Assembly of States Parties, H.E. Ambassador Bruno Stagno Ugarte.

17 January 2008

The three new ICC judges elected by the Assembly of States Parties at the end of 2007 were sworn-in. Judge Daniel David Ntanda Nsereko (Uganda), Judge Fumiko Saiga (Japan) and Judge Bruno Cotte (France), each made a public solemn undertaking before the President of the Court, Judge Philippe Kirsch and the other 14 ICC judges, in the presents of the President of the Assembly of States Parties, H.E. Bruno Stagno Ugarte.

29 February 2008

The judges meeting in plenary session elected by an absolute majority Ms Silvana Arbia (Italy) as Registrar of the International Criminal Court for a five-year term.

17 April 2008

Ms Arbia (Italy) was sworn-in as the Registrar of the International Criminal Court, in a ceremony conducted by Judge Philippe Kirsch, the ICC President, and Ms Hlengiwe Buhle Mkhize, Vice-President of the Assembly of States Parties.

9 September 2008

The judges of the International Criminal Court meeting in plenary session elected by an absolute majority Mr. Didier Preira (Senegal) as Deputy Registrar for a five-year term.

19 January 2009

At the seventh session of the Assembly of States Parties, the Assembly elected the six new judges to fill the judicial vacancies for the terms of office of their predecessors.

26 January 2009

Opening of the first trial at the International Criminal Court: case The Prosecutor v. Thomas Lubanga Dyilo

11 March 2009

Five of the six judges of the International Criminal Court elected in January 2009 for nine-year terms by the Assembly of States Parties to the Rome Statute made a solemn undertaking at a ceremony held at the seat of the Court. They were: Judge Fumiko Saiga (Japan), Judge Joyce Aluoch (Kenya), Judge Sanji Mmasenono Monageng (Botswana), Judge Christine van den Wyngaert (Belgium) and Judge Cuno Tarfusser (Italy). Mr. Mohamed Shahabuddeen (Guyana), who had also been elected by the Assembly in January 2009, had submitted his resignation from the Court for personal reasons on 16 February 2009.

11 March 2009

The judges of the International Criminal Court elected the Presidency. Judge Sang-Hyun Song (Republic of Korea) is elected President of the Court. Judges Fatoumata Dembele Diarra (Mali) and Hans-Peter Kaul (Germany) are elected First Vice-President and Second Vice-President, respectively. All three are elected by an absolute majority for a term of three years.