The International Criminal Court (ICC) is a global court that investigates and prosecutes individuals responsible for war crimes, crimes against humanity, genocide, and the crime of aggression. Established in 2002 in The Hague, it takes on cases when nations are unable or unwilling to prosecute crimes on their territory.
Hungary signed the Rome Statute in 1999 and ratified the treaty in 2001, becoming a member state of the ICC. However, Hungary’s decision to defy an arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is wanted by the court for alleged crimes against humanity in Gaza, has sparked controversy.
Netanyahu’s arrest warrants were issued last November, accusing him and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant of using “starvation as a method of warfare” and intentionally targeting civilians during Israel’s campaign against Hamas in Gaza. The ICC has criticized Hungary’s decision to defy the warrant, saying it remains under a duty to cooperate with the court.
Hungary announced its withdrawal from the ICC this week, becoming only the third country in the institution’s history to do so. The process will take more than a year, and Hungary will remain obligated to cooperate with the court for ongoing cases.
The move has been condemned by human rights groups, including Human Rights Watch, which expressed concerns that Hungary still has an opportunity to arrest Netanyahu despite its withdrawal from the ICC. If Hungary leaves, it will become only the third country in the European Union not to be a member of the court.
Source: https://apnews.com/article/hungary-icc-netanyahu-explainer-d879f4ea948193ffe82d7f06aca23547