In a big decision, Hungary’s parliament voted to leave the International Criminal Court, or ICC. The ICC is a special court that tries to catch people accused of very serious crimes, like war crimes.
What Is the ICC?
The International Criminal Court (ICC) is like a worldwide police court based in The Hague, a city in the Netherlands. It started in 2002 and helps punish people who do very bad things, especially when their own countries can’t or won’t do it.
Why Is Hungary Leaving?
Hungary’s leaders say the ICC is now a “politically motivated” group. This means they think the court is unfair and picks sides in fights. Hungary does not want to be part of something they feel is unfair.
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Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orban said they will leave the ICC.
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The decision was made by 134 lawmakers voting “yes,” while 37 said “no,” and 7 did not vote.
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Hungary will tell the United Nations (UN) about this decision soon.
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It takes one whole year after telling the UN before Hungary officially leaves the ICC.
What Happened with Israel and Netanyahu?
Last month, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited Hungary. This was special because the ICC has an arrest warrant for Netanyahu. An arrest warrant means the ICC wants to catch him because they say he might have committed war crimes in Gaza. Netanyahu says he is innocent.
Hungary invited Netanyahu despite this warrant, showing they support him.
Who Else Left the ICC?
Hungary is the third country to leave the ICC. The other two countries are:
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Burundi
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The Philippines
Who Is in the ICC?
Right now, 125 countries are members of the ICC, meaning they agree to follow the court’s rules. But some big countries like the United States, Russia, Israel, China, and Myanmar are not members.
Hungary joined the ICC long ago, back in 2001, but now decided it’s time to leave.
What Happens Next?
Hungary will send a formal letter to the UN saying it wants to leave. Then, after one year, Hungary will no longer be part of the ICC and won’t have to follow its rules anymore.
Why Is This Important?
The ICC is supposed to make sure people who do very bad things like war crimes are punished, even if their countries don’t want to punish them. Hungary leaving shows some countries might not agree with how the ICC works anymore.
