Hungary to Withdraw from ICC as Netanyahu Visits Amid Arrest Warrant

World 12:53 03.04.2025

Hungary says it will withdraw from ICC as Israel’s Netanyahu visits.

Hungary’s government has announced it will withdraw from the International Criminal Court (ICC), just before Prime Minister Viktor Orban was to receive his Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu, the subject of an ICC arrest warrant.

“Hungary exits the International Criminal Court. The government will initiate the withdrawal procedure on Thursday, in accordance with the constitutional and international legal framework,” Orban’s chief of staff Gergely Gulyas posted on Facebook on Thursday.
A state’s withdrawal from the court takes effect one year after the deposit of the withdrawal’s instrument — usually in the form of a formal letter declaring the pullout – with the UN Secretary General’s office.

So far only Burundi and the Philippines have withdrawn from the court.
The ICC has not yet commented on Hungary’s announcement.
Meanwhile, prime minister Netanyahu arrived in Budapest early Thursday morning on his first trip to Europe since 2023 and in defiance of the ICC’s arrest warrant against him.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban extended an invitation to Netanyahu last November, a day after the ICC issued the arrest warrant over alleged war crimes in Gaza.

Orban had vowed the EU member would not execute the warrant, despite being an ICC member, saying the court’s decision “intervenes in an ongoing conflict… for political purposes”.

“Welcome to Budapest, Benjamin Netanyahu!” wrote Hungary’s Defence Minister Kristof Szalay-Bobrovniczky on Facebook as Netanyahu began his visit, and after greeting him at the airport in capital Budapest.

The Hague-based ICC criticised Hungary’s decision to defy its warrant for Netanyahu. However, the court’s spokesperson, Fadi El Abdallah, said that it is not for parties to the ICC “to unilaterally determine the soundness of the Court’s legal decisions”.
Hungary signed the Rome Statute, the international treaty that created the ICC, in 1999 and ratified it two years later during Orban’s first term in office.

The ICC, set up in 2002, has no police of its own and relies on the cooperation of its 125 member states to carry out any arrest warrants.

However, Budapest has not promulgated the associated convention for constitutional reasons and therefore has asserted it is not obliged to comply with the decisions of the ICC.

Madina Mammadova\\EDnews

IEPF issued a statement regarding Azerbaijani children at the UN Human Rights Council

News line

The heads of state of Azerbaijan and Vietnam made statements to the press
11:57 12.05.2025
May 12 is International Plant Health Day
11:53 12.05.2025
Azerbaijan and Latvia to establish working group on agriculture
11:53 12.05.2025
Azerbaijani Foreign Minister discusses cooperation prospects with Bahraini Prime Minister
11:48 12.05.2025
Baku to host 1st Forum of European and Postal Leaders
11:46 12.05.2025
Azerbaijan's national coordinator for combating human trafficking
11:42 12.05.2025
Ilham Aliyev met with residents who moved to Kangarli village
11:38 12.05.2025
Ilham Aliyev attended inauguration of Kangarli village secondary school in Aghdam
11:34 12.05.2025
Azerbaijan, Bahrain mull prospects for cooperation
11:26 12.05.2025
Turkish defense minister to visit Azerbaijan
11:24 12.05.2025
A key message from Ilham Aliyev: Those who don't reckon with us today will regret it tomorrow
11:19 12.05.2025
" We are working on a cable road project connecting Shusha with Khankendi"
11:13 12.05.2025
National Leader Heydar Aliyev’s 102nd anniversary marked in Moldova
11:13 12.05.2025
Sport festival marking National Leader Heydar Aliyev's 102nd anniversary held in German
11:08 12.05.2025
President Ilham Aliyev and First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva attended opening of Aghdam Mugham Center
11:04 12.05.2025
Azerbaijan, UAE explore strategic partnership
10:59 12.05.2025
Azerbaijani President sends congratulatory letter to German Chancellor
10:56 12.05.2025
Azerbaijan debuts at Venice Architecture
10:51 12.05.2025
Azerbaijani FM embarks on official visit to Bahrain
10:48 12.05.2025
Jeyhun Bayramov discussed regional issues with UAE Foreign Minister
10:45 12.05.2025
Azerbaijan Army holds activities on cybersecurity
10:39 12.05.2025
Azerbaijan to establish circular power supply among Aghdam and Asgaran
10:32 12.05.2025
National Leader Heydar Aliyev’s 102nd anniversary marked in Stockholm
10:27 12.05.2025
Jazz concert marking Independence Day of Azerbaijan held in Helsinki
10:23 12.05.2025
National Leader Heydar Aliyev's 102nd anniversary celebrated in London
10:16 12.05.2025
10th National Marketing Forum held in Baku
10:13 12.05.2025
First International Congress of Azerbaijani Neurosurgeons wraps up in Baku
10:07 12.05.2025
Jeyhun Bayramov leaves for an official visit to the Kingdom of Bahrain
10:03 12.05.2025
Members of the Public Council under ANAMA have visited the region
16:52 08.05.2025
The "Roots of Peace" organization will host the "Peace Walk"
16:49 08.05.2025
"Since 1948 SL Heads of State have ‘relayed’ on the Ethnic conflict"
15:32 08.05.2025
A conference on the topic "Heydar Aliyev-Independence and Glorious Victory" was held in Lachin
12:44 08.05.2025
Azerbaijan showcases tourism opportunities in Israel
12:39 08.05.2025
''Azerbaijan House'' opened in Lebanon
12:33 08.05.2025
Vietnam prioritizes strategic and political cooperation with Azerbaijan
12:27 08.05.2025
Opening of new Baku City Prosecutor's Office building held
12:23 08.05.2025
Azerbaijani and Morocco may organize mutual cultural days
12:15 08.05.2025
Sahiba Gafarova: Heydar Aliyev's personality is symbol of wisdom for every Azerbaijani
12:09 08.05.2025
Milli Majlis to adopt statement on Heydar Aliyev's 102nd birth anniversary
12:03 08.05.2025
Azerbaijan Confederation of Trade Unions organized an event
11:58 08.05.2025
Hamısı