Expanding the Scope of International Justice

This assignment analyzes the need for the International Criminal Court (ICC) to expand its jurisdiction to encompass a wider range of crimes and geographical areas. It argues that the ICC's current focus on crimes against humanity in developing countries, while important, neglects issues like torture and violence in developed nations. The author cites examples of cases where the ICC has been criticized for bias and lack of action, highlighting the importance of perceived impartiality and universal application of justice.

Running head: International Criminal Court 1
Jurisdiction of International Criminal Court
Name
Institution

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The International Criminal Court needs to widen its focus in order to better provide justice and
reduce harm. This statement is informed by the fact that the ICC focuses their energies into matter of
crimes against humanity such as genocide and civil war in third world countries with no focus on first
world countries. Similarly, the International Criminal Court does not arbitrate on matters of international
crime such as torture and environmental harms (Scheffer, 1999).
Most of the recent cases handled by the ICC, came from Africa despite the fact that countries
such as Syria, Iraq and Yemen have seen their governments unleash a wave of violence against their
civilians without due regard to the rule of law and human rights (Broomhall, 2003). The leaders of those
countries have never been investigated or brought before the courts to face justice. This has lowered the
credibility of the court significantly due to growing perceptions of favouritism.
Torture
Aspects of torture without due process of law have been executed by many rogue leaders against
their opponent and the international criminal law does not recognize it as a crime against humanity
(Buckley, 2011). For instance, the US government had established a prison for persons accused of
terrorisms in Guantanamo Bay and may suspected local and foreign nationals have faced extreme torture
without being tried in any court of law. The ICC has never made any attempts to provide justice to victim
of torture. In order for justice to be administered, it is not only served, but it must be seen to be served. In
that regard, the ICC should come in first and expand their tentacles to cover issues of torture and bring
order to the world.

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References
Broomhall, B. (2003). International justice and the International Criminal Court: between
sovereignty and the rule of law. Oxford: Oxford univ. press.
Buckley, M. (2011). International Criminal Court (ICC). In Encyclopedia of Global Justice (pp.
547-549). . Dordrecht: Springer Netherlands.
Scheffer, D. J. (1999). The United States and the international criminal court. . American Journal
of International Law, 93(1), 12-22.