The International Criminal Court and the Evolution of the ICC’s Judicial Policy: From Uganda to Palestine

Author: Faramarz Yadegarian. “The International Criminal Court and the Evolution of the ICC’s Judicial Policy: From Uganda to Palestine”. Academic Center for Education, Culture and Research (ACECR), 2025, ISBN: 978-622-4685-59-9

About this book:

More than two decades have passed since the establishment of the International Criminal Court, and this institution now stands as a global symbol in the fight against human rights violations and impunity. Today, the Court has reached a point where it issues arrest warrants for high-ranking state officials without regard for political consequences. This book seeks to answer a question that preoccupied my mind at the outset of this research: What path has the ICC’s judicial policy followed that now enables it to issue arrest warrants for senior leaders—from Israel and Hamas to the President of Russia? What implications do these decisions hold for the future of international criminal justice? And more importantly, are these warrants enforceable, and what legal and political consequences might they entail?

Through a scholarly, comparative, and impartial approach—and by analyzing eleven landmark cases in the Court’s history—this work illustrates how the ICC’s judicial policy, particularly in dealing with political and military leaders, has gradually evolved from a cautious stance to a more assertive exercise of jurisdiction. This transformation reflects the Court’s broader strategy to consolidate its role as the central authority in addressing international crimes and combating impunity.

I hope this book will serve as a useful and inspiring resource for students, researchers, and all those interested in international criminal law.