International Law explainers / What happens if you break an international law?

Let's say you've broken international law. What next?

Well, it depends.

Quite often, nothing happens at all.

Pursuing justice takes time and money, but sometimes things do happen.

Let's imagine you're a state that invades another.

You've broken one of the most fundamental international laws and committed the crime of aggression.

You can expect sanctions or maybe even military intervention.

Now, let's say you're an individual who's committed a war crime.

You personally might be tried at an international court:

this can take decades and requires the help of your own country.