Presidency

and
Chambers

Presidency to the Court’s overall functioning, such as sentences); and the provision of general
staff regulations, information security and legal advice.
The Presidency is one of the four organs
the Court’s trust fund.
of the International Criminal Court (ICC), In the exercise of its external relations
consisting of three of its judges. The The Presidency’s responsibilities also functions, the Presidency represents
Presidency is composed of three judges of include judicial activities and external the Court in its relations with States
the Court, elected to the Presidency by their relations. In the exercise of its judicial Parties as well as non-States Parties to
fellow judges, for a term of three years. The functions, the Presidency organises the the Rome Statute, the United Nations
President of the Court is Judge Tomoko Chambers’ judicial work and carries out its and other international institutions,
Akane (Japan). Judge Rosario Salvatore functions as set out in the Statute, Rules of regional organisations, non-governmental
Aitala (Italy) is First Vice-President, and Procedure and Evidence, and Regulations organisations and other external entities.
Judge Reine Alapini-Gansou (Benin) is of the Court. Among the Presidency’s The promotion of public awareness and
Second Vice-President. responsibilities in the area of external understanding of the Court, enhancing
relations are the negotiation and conclusion communication and fostering greater
The Presidency is entrusted with functions
of agreements on behalf of the Court and cooperation between the Court and
in three main areas of responsibility:
the promotion of public awareness and various external partners are among the
administration, judicial/legal matters
understanding of the institution. Presidency’s main responsibilities in this
and external relations. The Presidency is
field.
responsible for the proper administration The judicial/legal functions of the
of the Court, with the exception of the Presidency are twofold. First, the
Office of the Prosecutor. Nonetheless, Presidency provides support to enable the
Chambers
it coordinates and seeks consensus Chambers to conduct fair, effective and The Chambers, organised into Divisions
with the Prosecutor on all matters of expeditious public proceedings such as as determined by article 39(1) of the Rome
mutual concern. Among the Presidency’s constituting and assigning situations to Statute, carry out the judicial functions of
administrative functions are the managerial Chambers, organising the plenary sessions the Court. There are three Divisions: the
oversight of the Registry and ensuring that and liaising with the Registry. Second, the Pre-Trial Division, the Trial Division, and
the Registry delivers effective service to the Presidency has specific legal and judicial the Appeals Division.
judiciary. functions, including the judicial review The assignment of judges to Divisions
of certain decisions of the Registrar; the is based on what functions each judge
As part of its oversight function, the
conclusion of Court-wide cooperation will perform and the qualifications and
Presidency provides input into a broad
agreements (e.g., bilateral arrangements experience of the judge. This is done in
range of administrative policies and issues
with States on the enforcement of a manner ensuring that each Division
presidential directives on matters relevant

ICC-PIDS-FS-06-012-24_Eng
 Presidency and Chambers

benefits from an appropriate combination of expertise in criminal The Trial Chamber is composed of three judges, with a Presiding
law and procedure and international law. The judges assigned to Judge elected by the judges of the Chamber in question. A Single
the Appeals Division serve exclusively in that Division for their Judge may also carry out the functions of the Chamber.
entire term of office.
The Trial Chamber’s primary function is to ensure a fair and
If the Court’s workload so requires, and with a view to ensuring expeditious trial, conducted with full respect for the rights of the
efficient management, the Presidency may decide to constitute accused and due regard for the protection of victims and witnesses.
more than one Pre-Trial or Trial Chamber. It may also decide to
Trials must be held in the presence of the accused and in public,
attach temporarily a judge of the Trial Division to the Pre-Trial
unless special circumstances require that certain proceedings
Division and vice versa.
are held in closed session to protect confidential or sensitive
From among the members of each Division a President of information to be given in evidence, and victims and witnesses.
the respective Division is elected to oversee that Division’s The sentence is pronounced in public.
administration for a period of one year.
The Trial Chamber determines whether an accused is innocent or
guilty of the charges and, if guilt has been determined, it imposes
Pre-Trial Division a sentence of imprisonment not exceeding a maximum of thirty
The Pre-Trial Division is composed of judges with experience years or, in cases of extreme gravity, life imprisonment. Financial
primarily in criminal trials. The judges serve for a period of three penalties may also be imposed. The Trial Chamber may order
years. reparation to victims, including restitution, compensation and
The Pre-Trial Chambers consist of three judges each, although rehabilitation.
many of the functions of the Chamber may be carried out by a As indicated above, the Presidency can decide to temporarily attach
Single Judge. The Presiding Judge of a Chamber is elected by the a judge assigned to the Pre-Trial Division to the Trial Division if the
judges of the Chamber in question. efficient management of the Court’s workload so requires, but a
One of the Pre-Trial Chamber’s functions is to grant or deny the judge who has participated in the pre-trial phase of a case can not,
Office of the Prosecutor leave to initiate an investigation. It makes under any circumstances, be eligible to sit on the Trial Chamber
a preliminary determination as to whether the case falls within the hearing that case.
jurisdiction of the Court without prejudice, however, to subsequent
determinations in respect of jurisdiction and admissibility. Appeals Division
The Appeals Chamber consists of all five judges of the Appeals
Under the Rome Statute, if the decision is based on “interests of
Division, out of which the Chamber decides on a Presiding Judge
justice”, the Pre-Trial Chamber may, on its own initiative, at the
for each appeal.
request of the State making a referral or of the United Nations
Security Council, review a decision of the Prosecutor not to initiate The Division deals with appeals received from or filed by convicted
an investigation or to prosecute. persons, the Prosecutor, legal representatives of the victims or bona
fide owners of property adversely affected by Court decisions.
It is the mandate of the Pre-Trial Chamber to issue warrants of
arrest and summonses to appear before the Court at the request of The convicted person may appeal against conviction and sentence.
the Prosecutor, and to guarantee the rights of all persons during The Prosecutor may appeal against the acquittal or conviction of
the investigation phase. The Pre-Trial Chamber also issues orders an accused, or the sentence. Such appeals may be made on the
to protect the rights of the participants in the proceedings and, grounds of procedural errors, errors of fact or law and on any other
where necessary, provides for the protection and privacy of victims grounds affecting the fairness or reliability of the proceedings
and witnesses. It preserves evidence, protects persons who have or decisions. The Appeals Chamber may reverse or amend the
been arrested or who have appeared in response to a summons, decision on conviction or sentence and may order a new trial
and safeguards information affecting national security. before a different Trial Chamber. It may also revise the final
judgement of conviction or the sentence.
Within a reasonable time after a suspect has been surrendered
to the Court or has appeared voluntarily before the Court, The Appeals Chamber is also responsible for the review of
the Pre-Trial Chamber holds a hearing in the presence of the sentence, i.e., to determine whether, after the person has
Prosecutor and the suspect and/or his or her counsel with a view served two-thirds of the sentence or 25 years in the case of life
to determining whether the charges can be confirmed or not. imprisonment, the sentence should be reduced. If the Appeals
A confirmation hearing can be held without the suspect being Chamber decides not to reduce the sentence, it thereafter reviews
present. the question at least every three years. The Appeals Chamber is
finally the body responsible for deciding questions relating to the
Trial Division disqualification of the Prosecutor or a Deputy Prosecutor.
Most of the Trial Division judges have extensive experience in Legal representatives of the victims, the convicted person or bona
criminal trials. They serve in this Division for three years and fide owner of property adversely affected by an order for reparation
thereafter until the completion of any case if the trial has already to victims may appeal against the order. Other decisions made
begun. during the course of the proceedings by the Pre Trial Chamber may
If the charges are confirmed by the Pre-Trial Chamber, the also be appealed, including decisions with respect to jurisdiction
Presidency constitutes a Trial Chamber to try the case. and admissibility.
 Presidency and Chambers

Pre-Trial Division

Judge Maria del Socorro Flores Liera (Mexico), President of the Division
Judge Rosario Salvatore Aitala (Italy), First ICC Vice-President
Judge Reine Alapini-Gansou (Benin), Second ICC Vice-President
Judge Sergio Gerardo Ugalde Godinez (Costa Rica)
Judge Iulia Motoc (Romania)
Judge Haykel Ben Mahfoudh (Tunisia)

Pre-Trial Chamber I Pre-Trial Chamber II Pre-Trial Chamber II

Situations in the Democratic Republic of the Congo I; the Situations in the Central African Republic I; the Situation in Uganda
Democratic Republic of the Congo II; Libya; the Republic of Central African Republic II; Darfur; the Republic of Judge Althea Alexis-Windsor,
Mali; the Gabonese Republic; Registered Vessels of Comoros, the Sudan; the Republic of Kenya; the Republic of Presiding
Greece and Cambodia; Palestine; the People’s Republic of Côte d’Ivoire; the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan;
Judge Iulia Motoc
Bangladesh and the Republic of the Union of Myanmar; the the Republic of Burundi and Ukraine
Plurinational State of Bolivia; Georgia; the Bolivarian Republic Judge Haykel Ben Mahfoudh
Judge Rosario Salvatore Aitala, Presiding
of Venezuela I; the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela II and the
Judge Sergio Ugalde Godinez
Republic of Philippines
Judge Haykel Ben Mahfoudh
Judge Iulia Motoc, Presiding
Judge Reine Alapini-Gansou
Judge Maria del Socorro Flores Liera

Trial Division

Judge Miatta Maria Samba (Sierra Leone), President of the Division

Judge Kimberly Prost (Canada)
Judge Joanna Korner (United Kingdom)
Judge Althea Violet Alexis-Windsor (Trinidad and Tobago)
Judge Keebong Paek (Korea)
Judge Nicolas Guillou (France)
Judge Beti Hohler (Slovenia)

Trial Chamber I Trial Chamber II Trial Chamber IV

The Prosecutor v. Ali Muhammad Ali Abd-Al-Rahman The Prosecutor v. Germain Katanga The Prosecutor v. Abdallah Banda Abakaer Nourain
The Prosecutor v. Thomas Lubanga Dyilo
Judge Joanna Korner, Presiding Judge Kimberly Prost, Presiding
The Prosecutor v. Bosco Ntaganda
Judge Reine Alapini-Gansou The Prosecutor v. Ahmad Al Faqi Al Mahdi Judge Keebong Paek
Judge Althea Violet Alexis-Windsor The Prosecutor v. Dominic Ongwen Judge Nicolas Guillou
Alternate: Judge Nicolas Guillou Judge Maria del Socorro Flores Liera, Presiding
Judge Kimberly Prost
Judge Nicolas Guillou

Trial Chamber V Trial Chamber VI Trial Chamber X

The Prosecutor v. Alfred Yekatom and Patrice-Edouard The Prosecutor v. Mahamat Said Abdel Kani The Prosecutor v. Al Hassan Ag Abdoul Aziz Ag Mohamed
Ngaïssona Ag Mahmoud
Judge Miatta Maria Samba, Presiding
Judge Bertram Schmitt, Presiding Judge Antoine Kesia-Mbe Mindua, Presiding
Judge Maria del Socorro Flores Liera
Judge Péter Kovács Judge Tomoko Akane
Judge Sergio Ugalde Godinez
Judge Chang-ho Chung Judge Kimberly Prost
Alternate: Judge Keebong Paek
Alternate: Judge Beti Hohler

Appeals Division

Judge Gocha Lordkipanidze (Georgia), President of the Division

Judge Tomoko Akane (Japan), President of the ICC
Judge Luz del Carmen Ibáñez Carranza (Peru)
Judge Solomy Balungi Bossa (Uganda)
Judge Erdenebalsuren Damdin (Mongolia)
 Presidency and Chambers

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