Countries that have Withdrawn from the ICC and Reject Its Authority
April 2025 marks Hungary's exit from the International Criminal Court (ICC). According to current news, this isn't the first country to bite the dust when it comes to the ICC. Notable absences include the United States, China, India, Israel, and Iran, among others, who view the international court as a threat to their sovereignty.
The ICC, an autonomous judicial body, was founded based on the Rome Statute in 1998, which entered into force in 2002. Presently, 125 states are members. However, Hungary, like Russia, has not ratified the statute, making them non-member states.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's state visit to Budapest in 2025 coincided with an active ICC arrest warrant against him for alleged war crimes in Gaza. As a member state, Hungary would have been legally obligated to arrest Netanyahu during his visit. However, Hungary's withdrawal from the ICC prior to his visit allowed them to sidestep this obligation, signifying Prime Minister Viktor Orbán's political backing for Netanyahu and Israel.
Critics accused Hungary's government, led by Orbán's Fidesz party, of labeling the ICC a "political body" and accusing it of bias. This stance reflected Orbán's broader skepticism towards multilateral institutions. Moreover, Hungary's departure left the European Union (EU) with only one member state outside the ICC, weakening the bloc's unified stance on international justice and causing concern about prioritizing political alliances over adherence to international law.
The ICC's warrant for Netanyahu and ex-Defense Minister Yoav Gallant related to alleged crimes during the 2023-2024 Gaza conflict, including civilians' starvation and inhumane acts. Orbán's decision to withdraw from the ICC has drawn criticism for enabling impunity and weakening the court's authority. The timeline in the query may blend the 2023 Gaza conflict with Hungary's 2025 withdrawal announcement. The decision was primarily driven by political considerations surrounding Netanyahu's visit, rather than events in 2023.
- In 2025, Hungary's withdrawal from the International Criminal Court (ICC) mirrored a similar move by Russia, as they both remained non-member states due to not ratifying the Rome Statute.
- The ICC's involvement in the war-and-conflicts surrounding Israel, such as the 2023-2024 Gaza conflict, has been a contentious issue, with several countries, including Hungary and the United States, viewing the court as a threat to their policy-and-legislation and sovereignty.
- The ICC's warrant against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for alleged war crimes in Gaza put Hungary in a complicated position as a member state, but their decision to withdraw prior to his visit allowed them to bypass any legal obligations.
- The politics surrounding this withdrawal have led to criticism of Hungary's government, with opponents accusing them of favoring political alliances over adherence to international law, and of labeling the ICC a biased, political body.
- The Philippines, while not mentioned in this context, has also expressed intentions to withdraw from the ICC, raising concerns about the future of international justice and the erosion of international law in the face of political considerations.
