The ICC's jurisdiction and international immunities of heads of states

The ICC warrant of arrest against President of Sudan made Omar Al Bashir the first sitting Head of State to be sought by the Court. President Bashir faces charges of crimes against humanity, genocide and war crimes. This research focused on the issue of whether the ICC, as a treaty-based Court, has jurisdiction over persons who are citizens of States which are not party to the Rome Statute. It also considered whether the ICC has violated the rules of customary international law by issuing the warrant of arrest against a sitting Head of State of a non state party. The research further addressed the issue of whether States are obliged to comply with the warrant of arrest against sitting Heads of States such as President Bashir, particularly in instances where the respective situation has been referred by the UNSC pursuant to its Chapter VII powers. It demonstrated that, on the one hand, States are obliged by the Court to arrest Bashir. On the other hand, States are also obliged to respect President Bashir as an incumbent Head of State according to the rules of customary international law on personal immunity.