Hungary to withdraw from the ICC following visit from Israel PM – JURIST
Prime Minister Viktor Orbán at a press conference on Thursday with Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced that Hungary will leave the International Criminal Court (ICC).
The ICC issued arrest warrants against Netanyahu and Former Defence Minster Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity, namely using “starvation as a method of warfare” and “directing attacks against the civilian population of Gaza.” The Rome Statute established the ICC and was created as a court of last resort to hold individuals responsible for four key international crimes: war crimes, crimes against humanity, crimes of aggression, and genocide. Hungary was one of the founding members of the Rome Statute and was legally obligated to enforce the arrest warrants. Amnesty International had called for Hungary to uphold its obligations ahead of the meeting in Budapest. Other European countries have also stated or alluded to not enforcing the arrest warrant as has the US, which recently placed sanctions on the court.
Orbán denounced the court’s “witch-hunt” and reaffirmed Hungary’s unwavering commitment to supporting Israel.
Israel remains a flashpoint in international law, where its long history of flagrant violations and impunity point to a scathing double-standard in how human rights law is applied in practice. Israel’s actions towards Palestinians have been gravely condemned across the world sparking significant social uproar, as well as accusations of genocide at the International Court of Justice (ICJ). The reluctance of the international community and institutions to enforce the most basic of its principles has cast serious doubt on its effectiveness and legitimacy. This troubling sentiment is furthered by Hungary’s withdrawal from the ICC.
Hungary consistently ranked the highest out of all EU states for corruption and has seen a sharp decline in civil liberties and respect for the rule of law since Orbán’s reelection in 2014. In 2022, the Council of the European Union froze approximately €6.3 billion in EU funds to Hungary citing corruption and abuse of the rule of law. The country faced further criticism recently when a controversial anti-LGBTQ+ law was passed, prompting protestors to fill the streets of Budapest.
Mounting grievances towards Orbán has propelled support for the leader of the opposition leader, Péter Magyar, perhaps presenting a challenge to the Orbán regime in next years’ election.
