The International Criminal Court (ICC) officially came into existence in July 2002 following the 60th ratification of the Rome Statute, heralding a new era for the effective prosecution and punishment of serious violations of international humanitarian law - genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity. This Commentary takes a thematic look at the whole of international criminal law, appraising the contributions of international tribunals such as the Nuremberg and Tokyo Tribunals and the ad hoc Tribunals for Yugoslavia and Rwanda, as well as those of national courts. It re-examines the case law developed by these courts and tribunals, establishes to what extent the Rome Statute codifies this body of law or instead departs from it, and makes a critical assessment of the Statute as a viable working tool for international criminal justice. A third volume contains the texts of the Statute, the Rules of Procedure and Evidence and Elements of Crimes. Written by an outstanding international team of experts under the general editorship of Antonio Cassese, Paola Gaeta, and John R.W.D.Jones, this timely companion to the burgeoning field of international criminal law will be of interest to international legal scholars, practitioners and judges, and to all those who are interested in the administration of international justice and the workings of international institutions. Antonio Cassese is the Editor of the Journal of International Criminal Justice. To read sample articles from the journal visit: www.jicj.oupjournals.org