International Criminal Court Amends Judicial Ethics Code on Social Media Use and Binding Standards
On October 16, 2026, the International Criminal Court (ICC) announced the implementation of amendments to its Code of Judicial Ethics. These changes, agreed upon by the Court’s judges under regulation 126 of the Regulations of the Court, primarily address the use of social media by judges and reinforce the binding nature of the Code. A new paragraph has been added to Article 10, mandating judges to exercise caution when using social media and other information technologies. This requirement emphasizes the potential impact of such use on safety, security, and public trust in the Court. The amendments clarify that established principles of judicial independence, impartiality, integrity, fairness, and responsible communication are applicable to judges' online activities. Furthermore, Article 12 has been revised to explicitly state that the ethical standards within the Code are binding on judges at all times and, where relevant, continue to apply to former judges. The revised provision also specifies that non-...
