The Court shall be financially independent from governments and shall not rely upon mandatory financial contributions from States Parties for its ordinary operation.
The Court shall be established and operated on a low-cost basis, particularly during its initial years, using remote hearings, digital administration, secure online systems, voluntary professional services, and other cost-effective methods wherever appropriate.
The primary funding of the Court shall be derived from voluntary contributions from members of the public, supporters, charitable organisations, foundations, businesses, organisations, and other lawful private sources.
Donations and contributions shall be accepted only where they do not create an obligation, condition, influence, or expectation capable of compromising the independence, impartiality, or integrity of the Court.
No donor, organisation, government official, political organisation, business, State, or other person shall be permitted to purchase, obtain, or influence a judicial decision, investigation, prosecution, appointment, sentence, or other decision of the Court through financial support.
The Court shall not accept funding that is conditional upon the Court: a. opening or closing a particular investigation; b. prosecuting or not prosecuting a particular person; c. reaching a particular verdict or sentence; d. changing its policies or Rules; e. appointing or removing a particular judge or official; or f. taking any other action inconsistent with judicial independence.
The identity and amount of significant donors shall be recorded and disclosed in accordance with the financial transparency rules of the Court, subject to lawful protections for personal safety and privacy.
Anonymous donations may be accepted where the Court's financial rules permit, provided that appropriate safeguards are maintained against money laundering, proceeds of crime, unlawful influence, or disguised political funding.
The Court shall establish safeguards against the use of donations, sponsorship, gifts, grants, or other financial benefits as a means of coercion, bribery, retaliation, political influence, or interference with the administration of justice.
No government, State, political organisation, public official, monarch, military authority, corporation, religious organisation, or other external body shall have authority to withdraw, suspend, redirect, or control the Court's funding in order to influence a judicial, investigative, prosecutorial, or enforcement decision.
The Court may receive voluntary financial or material assistance from States Parties where such assistance does not create financial dependence or permit governmental influence over the Court.
The Court may receive voluntary donations of lawful goods and services, including legal services, technological services, accommodation, equipment, communications facilities, professional expertise, translation, transportation, and other resources necessary for its operation.
All donated goods and services shall be subject to appropriate transparency and conflict-of-interest safeguards.
The Court shall maintain an independent financial administration responsible for budgeting, accounting, auditing, financial records, and publication of appropriate financial reports.
The Court's financial records shall be subject to independent audit in accordance with procedures established by the Assembly of States Parties and the Rules of the Court.
The annual budget of the Court shall prioritise essential judicial and investigative functions and shall seek to minimise unnecessary administrative, accommodation, travel, staffing, and operational expenditure.
The Court may use remote hearings and video-link proceedings as a principal means of conducting proceedings where appropriate, thereby reducing travel, accommodation, security, and infrastructure costs.
The Court may establish voluntary membership or supporter schemes through which members of the public may contribute financially to the continued operation of the Court. Such contributions shall not provide members or donors with any special rights, influence, access to judges, prosecutors, investigators, or confidential information.
The Court may establish lawful income-generating activities connected to education, publications, training, research, conferences, media, or other activities consistent with its purpose, provided that such activities do not compromise its independence.
No person shall be permitted to use financial contributions to obtain immunity from investigation, prosecution, arrest, trial, sentencing, enforcement, confiscation, or any other lawful action of the Court.
The financial independence of the Court shall be regarded as an essential safeguard of its independence from political, governmental, commercial, religious, or other external influence.
The Rules of the Court shall establish detailed procedures concerning donations, financial disclosure, auditing, conflicts of interest, financial safeguards, budgeting, expenditure, and the prevention of bribery, corruption, money laundering, and financial coercion.
The Court may operate official websites, social-media accounts, livestreaming channels, video platforms, educational channels, podcasts, publications, and other lawful media activities for the purposes of public information, education, transparency, public participation, and generating voluntary income for the Court.
The Court may receive lawful income generated through such media activities, including advertising revenue, platform revenue-sharing, subscriptions, memberships, sponsorships, donations, licensing, and other lawful sources of media income.
Revenue generated through media activities shall be treated as Court income and shall be used solely to support the lawful purposes and independent operation of the Court.
No advertiser, sponsor, media platform, content creator, subscriber, donor, or other person shall obtain influence over judicial decisions, investigations, prosecutions, verdicts, sentencing, appointments, or enforcement decisions as a result of financial support or media activity.
The Court may publish and broadcast its public proceedings, judgments, educational material, investigations where legally appropriate, and other activities in order to increase public access to justice and permit the public to support the Court voluntarily.
Media income shall be recorded and subject to the financial transparency, auditing, and independence safeguards established by this Article.