Core legal texts

This database provides access to foundational legal documents that form the backbone of international criminal law, international humanitarian law, and human rights law. Our collection includes primary sources such as multilateral treaties and conventions (including the Geneva Conventions, Rome Statute, and International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights), statutes and rules of procedure for international courts and tribunals (such as the International Criminal Court, International Court of Justice, and ad hoc tribunals), customary international law codifications, UN resolutions and declarations, regional human rights instruments, and authoritative commentaries and explanatory notes from leading international law institutions. These texts represent the binding legal framework and interpretive guidance that governs the protection of human dignity, the conduct of warfare, the prosecution of international crimes, and the enforcement of fundamental rights across borders.

Use the menu on the left to navigate between the three main categories: International Criminal Law (ICL) for documents relating to genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes, and the crime of aggression; International Humanitarian Law (IHL) for the laws of armed conflict and protection of civilians in warfare; and Human Rights Law (HRL) for universal and regional human rights treaties, declarations, and enforcement mechanisms.