ICC Structure and Organs
How the Court is organized, from the Presidency and Chambers to the Office of the Prosecutor and Registry.
The Four Organs
The ICC has four principal organs. The Presidency consists of three judges who manage the Court's administration and external relations. The Judicial Divisions comprise 18 judges organized into Pre-Trial, Trial, and Appeals divisions. The Office of the Prosecutor (OTP) conducts investigations and prosecutions independently of the Court. And the Registry provides administrative support, victim outreach, and defense counsel services.
The 18 judges are elected by the Assembly of States Parties for nine-year, non-renewable terms. Elections must reflect equitable geographic and gender representation. The judges elect the President from among themselves. The Prosecutor is also elected by the Assembly of States Parties for a nine-year term. Karim Khan of the United Kingdom became Prosecutor in 2021, succeeding Fatou Bensouda of The Gambia, who had in turn succeeded the Court's first Prosecutor, Luis Moreno Ocampo of Argentina.
| Organ | Core function | Who staffs it |
|---|---|---|
| Presidency | Administration, external relations | 3 judges elected by peers |
| Judicial Divisions | Pre-Trial, Trial, Appeals chambers | 18 judges, 9-year terms |
| Office of the Prosecutor | Investigations and prosecutions | Prosecutor + staff |
| Registry | Support, victim outreach, defense services | Registrar + administration |
