ARCHIWUM PHOTO: View of the Hungarian Parliament.© Marton Monus/picture alliance via Getty Images
The Hungarian Parliament approved the bill initiating the country's formal withdrawal from the global Criminal Court (ICC).This step is simply a step forward in Prime Minister Viktor Orban's quest to leave the institution his government called biased and discredited.
The National Assembly passed the bill on Tuesday with 134 votes, 37 against and 7 abstentions.The vote follows a decision of the end of April in which the legislators agreed fundamentally to leave the ICC."Hungary powerfully rejects the usage of global organisations – in peculiar criminal courts – as political instruments", read the bill published on the Parliament website.Hungary joined the ICC by signing the Rome Statute in 1999 and ratifying it in 2001. But according to Orban, the country "he was always indecisive" on membership.Orban announced a plan to leave the Hague-based institution last period during a visit by Israeli state Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
The ICC had previously issued warrants for the arrest of Netanjahu and erstwhile Israeli defence minister Yoava Gallant, as well as 3 Hamas leaders in November, for alleged war crimes in the Gaza Strip.Orban accused the ICC of losing impartiality and turning into ‘political principle’, assure Netanjah that the actions of the court "will have no impact on Hungary".
Israeli Prime Minister praised "Brave and essential" Hungary’s position on ‘scrubbed’ court.The jurisdiction of the ICC presently recognises 123 countries.Non-signatory countries include the USA, Russia, China and Israel.
The court does not have its own police and relies on the associate States to detain and transfer suspects.In February, U.S. president Donald Trump's administration imposed sanctions on the ICC and his chief prosecutor, Karim Khan, for pursuing Netanyahu and Gallant.At the beginning of this month, Khan took leave of absence in connection with a UN investigation into sexual harassment charges.In 2023, the court besides issued warrants for the arrest of Russian president Vladimir Putin and kid Rights Commissioner Maria Lwowa-Below, accusing them of illegally deporting children from the erstwhile territories of Ukraine.
Moscow dismissed the allegations as ‘whatever’, insisting that children be evacuated from conflict zones for their safety and can be returned to their families on request.In accordance with the provisions of the Rome Statute, Budapest must notify the UN Secretary-General of its intention to withdraw, and this decision will enter into force 1 year later.
Translated by Google Translator
source:https://www.rt.com/news/617905-hungary-votes-quit-icc/
