Hungary moves to withdraw from International Criminal Court, citing political bias

Hungary has officially introduced a bill to parliament proposing the country’s withdrawal from the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague.

The announcement was made by Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó, who expressed his belief that the ICC had transformed into a politically-driven institution in recent years, Caliber.Az reports via Russian media.

In a video message posted on his official Facebook page, Szijjártó criticized the ICC for undermining the credibility of the international judicial system, particularly following the court’s issuance of an international arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Szijjártó described this action as "blatantly anti-Semitic" and argued that it marked a significant overstep by the court.  

“We Hungarians do not want to be part of a politically motivated court system. Therefore, the government has decided to initiate the denunciation of the Rome Statute and Hungary’s withdrawal from the International Criminal Court,” Szijjarto said. He added that the Hungarian parliament could review the proposed bill by the end of April, with a vote expected in May.

Hungary’s move comes amid growing criticism of the ICC’s recent decisions, including the arrest warrant for Netanyahu issued last October, which accused him of war crimes related to the ongoing conflict with Palestine.

Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who also condemned the court’s actions, voiced his dissatisfaction with the ICC’s politically charged nature during a press conference following talks with Netanyahu. Orban reaffirmed Hungary’s stance, highlighting the ICC's biased approach as a key reason for the country’s decision to withdraw.

In February, Hungarian Foreign Minister Szijjarto indicated that Budapest was contemplating an end to its cooperation with the international court. According to him, "the ICC has devolved into a biased political instrument that has discredited the entire international judicial system." He emphasized that the court's decisions have only exacerbated uncertainty in regions where the situation is already precarious.

This development coincides with the visit of Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu to Budapest, where he met with Orban. The timing has drawn attention, as the ICC’s arrest warrant for Netanyahu remains a contentious issue in international relations.

By Vafa Guliyeva