Human Rights Watch has called on the Hungarian government to implement the ICC’s arrest warrant for Netanyahu ahead of his visit to Hungary this week. The International Criminal Court (ICC) issued an arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for attacks on Gaza, and he is set to visit Hungary on Thursday, April 3 as part of his four-day trip. As Hungary, a founding member of the ICC, has an obligation to arrest and surrender individuals with arrest warrants, a call has been made to “arrest Netanyahu if he enters the country.”
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who has indicated that they will not comply with the ICC’s decision, is expected to hold a meeting with Netanyahu before their press conference scheduled for 10:00 local time.
HRW: NETANYAHU’S ENTRY SHOULD BE BLOCKED
Another organization calling for Netanyahu’s arrest upon entry into Hungary is Human Rights Watch (HRW). In a statement, HRW called on Hungary to prevent Netanyahu from entering the country or to arrest him if he does, stating that “Hungary must prevent Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu from entering the country or arrest him upon entry.”
The statement emphasized that Hungary, as a member of the ICC, is obliged to cooperate in arresting and surrendering suspects entering its territory, as the ICC relies on states for arrests, lacking its own police force. Hungarian leader Viktor Orban, following the issuance of the arrest warrants in November 2024, had expressed his intention to invite Netanyahu and assured that “if he comes, the order will have no effect in Hungary.” A statement from Orban’s Communication Office had announced that Netanyahu would make an official visit to Hungary from April 2 to April 6 upon the invitation of Hungarian Prime Minister Orban.
PARTY COUNTRIES OBLIGED TO IMPLEMENT ICC DECISION
In its decision announced on November 21, 2024, the ICC announced arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Gallant for “war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.” The implementation of the arrest warrants issued by the ICC falls under the obligation of the party countries according to articles 86 and 87 of the Rome Statute, the founding treaty of the court. According to Article 89 of the Statute, if Netanyahu and Gallant travel to any party country of the ICC, the competent authorities of that country are required to arrest them and surrender them to the court in The Hague.
It is suggested that Netanyahu and Gallant may have to avoid traveling to a significant number of countries, including all EU member states, Japan, Canada, Mexico, Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, most countries in Central and South America, and the majority of African countries, which are among the 124 member countries of the ICC.