Article 12 of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court lays out the criteria for the court's jurisdiction. It states that the court may exercise its jurisdiction over crimes that fall within its scope if they are committed on the territory of a state party or by a national of a state party. Additionally, the court may also have jurisdiction if a non-state party accepts the court's jurisdiction or the United Nations Security Council refers a situation to the court. In simpler terms, this article outlines the circumstances under which the International Criminal Court can investigate and prosecute individuals for committing international crimes such as genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity.
