International Criminal Court marks 20th anniversary

By MIKE CORDER
Associated Press

THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — The International Criminal Court is marking the 20th anniversary of its establishment, as its prosecutors probe war crimes in countries around the world including what one expert called a “make or break” investigation in Ukraine. The court was long criticized for tackling only crimes in Africa and failed prosecutions of senior leaders in Kenya and Ivory Coast. But as on Friday it has investigations underway in 17 countries around the world, from Afghanistan to Ukraine, although the majority remain in Africa. David Crane, the founding Chief Prosecutor of the Special Court for Sierra Leone that convicted war criminals including former Liberian President Charles Taylor, said that despite some criticism of its work the Hague-based ICC is a crucial legal institution.