BUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) 鈥� Hungary’s parliament voted on Wednesday to remain a member of the International Criminal Court, reversing a decision by the previous government of Viktor Orb谩n to withdraw from the global tribunal.
Orb谩n鈥檚 government announced last year that Hungary would quit the ICC, the world鈥檚 only permanent global court for war crimes and genocide, shortly after a state visit by Israeli Prime Minister despite an ICC warrant for his arrest over alleged Israel鈥檚 war in the Gaza Strip.
The ICC and other international organizations criticized Orb谩n’s government for failing to detain Netanyahu. Orb谩n accused the ICC of becoming a 鈥減olitical court.鈥�
Hungary鈥檚 withdrawal has been set to take effect on June 2.
The bill to reverse the decision, which was submitted on Monday by Prime Minister P茅ter Magyar, states that in order to maintain international peace and protect human rights 鈥渋t is essential that those who commit the most serious international crimes be held accountable before an international judicial forum.鈥�
It adds: 鈥淭o this end, it is necessary to maintain Hungary鈥檚 participation in the Statute of the International Criminal Court.鈥�
The bill was passed largely along party lines, with 133 lawmakers from Magyar’s ruling Tisza party voting to approve, 37 votes against and five abstentions.
The ICC’s oversight body, the Assembly of States Parties, welcomed Hungary鈥檚 return. In a statement on Monday in anticipation of the vote, the organization said it 鈥渃ongratulates the government of Hungary for this important decision.鈥�
Last year, the ICC found that Hungary had failed to comply with its legal obligation to arrest Netanyahu. In July, a panel of judges wrote that the 鈥渇ailure to arrest suspects severely undermines the court鈥檚 ability to carry out its mandate.鈥�
Hungary was a founding member of the ICC, and Orb谩n himself signed the Rome Statute, the treaty that established the court, in 1999.
If Hungary had withdrawn, it would have been the third country to leave the ICC after the Philippines and Burundi. It also would have been the only country in the 27-member European Union that is not a signatory to the court.
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Quell reported from The Hague, Netherlands.
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