To be indicted by the ICC is to be charged with some of the worst crimes against humanity.
To learn more about political leaders who have been indicted or accused of corruption and other crimes in history, click through this gallery.
In March, Rodrigo Duterte, former president of the Philippines, was arrested in the capital's airport under an International Criminal Court (ICC) warrant issued for his reported deadly killings during the “war on drugs” period—a brutal anti-drug campaign Duterte launched that resulted in thousands of extrajudicial killings from 2016 to 2022.
Charles Blé Goudé is an Ivorian political leader who was put on trial with former President of the Ivory Coast Laurent Gbagbo. He was acquitted of crimes against humanity in 2019.
Dyilo was the first person convicted by the ICC. He rose to power with the Union of Congolese Patriots, which he founded and led.
He played an instrumental role in the Ituri conflict, which saw up to 60,000 casualties.
His trial was for the war crime of enlisting and using child soldiers. He served a 14-year prison sentence in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and was released in 2020.
In 2020, the Sudanese government handed al-Bashir over to the ICC and his trial is ongoing.
In March 2023, the ICC issued a warrant for the arrest of President Vladimir Putin, accusing the Russian leader of committing multiple war crimes since Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
He is specifically charged with "the war crime of unlawful deportation of population (children) and that of unlawful transfer of population (children) from occupied areas of Ukraine to the Russian Federation." In response, Russia’s top investigative body opened a criminal case against the ICC, stating that they knowingly accused an innocent person of a crime. Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev even threatened to target the court with missile strikes.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, and Hamas leader Ibrahim Al-Masri have been charged with war crimes and crimes against humanity in relation to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Netanyahu and Gallant are accused of intentionally depriving Gaza's civilians of essential resources, including food, water, medicine, medical supplies, fuel, and electricity. Al-Masri faces charges for mass killings during the October 7 attacks on Israel, as well as assault and hostage-taking. However, Israel claims to have killed Al-Masri in the conflict. Hamas have not confirmed the death.
Benjamin Netanyahu was indicted in 2019 on charges related to gifts from wealthy friends and for allegedly seeking regulatory favors for media magnates in exchange for favorable coverage.
As his court date approached, Netanyahu brought back his usual pre-war rhetoric aimed at law enforcement, labeling the investigations against him as a witch hunt. He maintains his innocence and has entered a plea of not guilty.
See also: The Geneva Conventions: understanding the rules of war
Criminals indicted by the International Criminal Court
Global figures who have been indicted by the ICC
LIFESTYLE Crime
To be indicted by the ICC is to be charged with some of the worst crimes against humanity.
To learn more about political leaders who have been indicted or accused of corruption and other crimes in history, click through this gallery.