Hungary approves bill to withdraw from International Criminal Court

Published connected 20/05/2025 - 11:36 GMT+2•Updated 13:07

Hungary's parliament approved a measure connected Tuesday that would kickstart nan country's year-long withdrawal from nan International Criminal Court (ICC).

The ballot formalises a process started successful early April by Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, who announced his state would discontinue nan world tribunal that prosecutes those accused of warfare crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide.

"Hungary firmly rejects nan usage of world organisations - successful peculiar criminal courts - arsenic instruments of governmental influence," nan bill, submitted by Deputy Prime Minister Zsolt Semjen, made nationalist connected parliament's website, said.

According to Orbán, nan tribunal is nary longer "impartial" but alternatively a "political court".

Budapest has rejected nan ICC's apprehension warrant against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is being sought for alleged warfare crimes and crimes against humanity successful nan Israel-Hamas warfare successful Gaza.

According to nan warrant, Netanyahu should beryllium threatened pinch apprehension successful ICC personnel countries specified arsenic Hungary.

In March, Hungary defied nan warrant erstwhile Netanyahu arrived successful Budapest for a uncommon travel abroad. The ICC initiated non-compliance proceedings against Hungary successful response.

Budapest has openly rejected nan thought of arresting nan Israeli leader and called nan warrant "brazen, cynical and wholly unacceptable."

Netanyahu, successful turn, called Hungary's determination to time off nan ICC a "bold and opinionated decision".

Hungary's determination to time off nan ICC will return astatine slightest a twelvemonth to complete. In withdrawing, Hungary is group to go nan first European state of nan 125-member tribunal to time off nan world authority, and will make it nan sole non-signatory wrong nan EU arsenic well.

The tribunal was group up complete 2 decades agone to prosecute nan world's astir superior criminal cases, specified arsenic crimes against humanity and genocide. China, Russia, nan US and Israel are not members of nan court.