ICC looks to sanction Hungary for not arresting Netanyahu during his visit

A panel of judges at the International Criminal Court has reported Hungary to the court’s oversight organization for failing to arrest Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu when he visited Budapest in April, stating that the move undermines the court’s ability to bring suspects to justice.

In a filing released late last night, the three-judge panel wrote that “the obligation to cooperate was sufficiently clear to Hungary” and the failure to arrest Netanyahu “severely undermines the Court’s ability to carry out its mandate.”

The ICC has no police force and relies on countries worldwide to execute arrest warrants.

The court’s oversight body, the Assembly of States Parties, has limited powers to sanction Hungary. It will consider the next steps during its annual meeting in December.

The Hungarian leader, regarded by critics as an autocrat and the EU’s most intransigent spoiler in the bloc’s decision-making, has defended his decision not to arrest Netanyahu. During the visit, Orbán said his country’s commitment to the ICC was “half-hearted” and he began the process to withdraw Hungary from the court.